about NBRP-Rat

Message from the Project Leader

Rats are widely used in life science and biomedical research as experimental animals with characteristics that differ from those of mice. The NBRP-Rat project supports a broad range of research by collecting, preserving, and distributing valuable rat resources to researchers in Japan and around the world.

We develop and maintain an internationally accessible database of strain and phenotype information. We also promote the development and dissemination of new reproductive technologies for rats.

I have the honor of serving as the Project Leader of the NBRP-Rat project, beginning with the final year of its fifth phase. I am committed to increasing awareness of the unique value and advantages of rats as research models and to further enhancing NBRP-Rat as an accessible and valuable research resource, thereby contributing to continued advances in life sciences. We encourage researchers to take advantage of the resources and services provided by NBRP-Rat.

YOSHIMI Kazuto
Project Leader, NBRP-Rat
Ph.D., Professor
Institute of Laboratory Animals, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University

Objectives

This project is one part of the National BioResource Projects (NBRP) in Japan for more than 20 species including animals, plants, microbes, tissues and DNAs. It is founded by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Monkasho) and started in 2002.

The Institute of Laboratory Animals, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, is the central facility for the species rat. The 5th term of NBRP-Rat started in 2022, following the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th term (2002-2021).

The major goals of NBRP-Rat are the collection, preservation and supply of rat strains. The repository includes strains from Japan and abroad, spontaneous mutants, congenic and recombinant strains as well as transgenic and mutagenized rats. Deposited rat strains are not only conserved as cryopreserved embryos and sperm. Many reference and frequently used rat strains are also maintained as living animals under SPF conditions. About all strains, quality assurance through microbial and genetic monitoring are conducted.

Furthermore, NBRP-Rat provides a unique database on various rat strain phenotypes accompanied with basic genetic information. This allows scientists the selection of standardized and research specific strains. From the 2nd term of NBRP-Rat, the Rat Resource and Research Meeting was initiated as exchange meeting for information around the rat.

This project promotes further utilization of the rat as a research tool in many fields of science.

Structure

Core Center
Institute of Laboratory Animals, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University
Yoshidakonoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan Phone: +81-(0)75-753-9318
Sub Centers
RIKEN BioResource Research Center
Laboratory Animal Research Center, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo

Steering Committee

External Members

Name / Title	Affiliation
KURAMOTO Takashi ◎ Professor	Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture
YOKOI Norihide Professor	Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University
MORI Masayuki Associate Professor	Department of NeuroHealth Innovation, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Cutting Edge Research, Shinshu University
KUWAMURA Mitsuru Professor	Graduate School of Veterinary Science, Osaka Metropolitan University
OSAFUNE Kenji Professor	Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University
KOBAYASHI Kazuto Professor	Department of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine
OGAWA Masaaki Professor	Department of Systems Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science
OHNISHI Hiroe Program-Specific Senior Lecturer	Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University (Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery)

Internal Members

Name / Title	Affiliation
YOSHIMI Kazuto Professor	Institute of Laboratory Animals, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University
YOSHIKI Atsushi Division Director	Experimental Animal Division, RIKEN BioResource Research Center
MASHIMO Tomoji Professor	Laboratory Animal Research Center, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo

◎ Chairman

International Rat Resource Centers

History

Note: all years refer to the Japanese fiscal year (April - March); the months are those of the calendar.

Phase I (April 2002 - March 2007)

July 2002	NBRP-Rat launched; official website opened.
December 2002	Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs) established; deposition, preservation and distribution services began.
April 2003	Rat Phenome Project launched (phenotypic and genomic analyses).
May 2004	NBRP-Rat database released.
	NBRP-Rat achievements featured in Nature (Nature. 2004 May 6;429(6987):15).
April 2005	Genome analysis project: construction of the BAC library.
	NBRP-Rat achievements featured in Science (Science. 2005;309:361).
April 2006	Genome analysis project: BAC-end sequencing of F344/Stm.
October 2006	DVD published: Standardized Manual for Cryopreservation of Rat Embryos and Sperm.
March 2007	BAC clone distribution service started.

Phase II (April 2007 - March 2012)

April 2007	Phase II of NBRP-Rat launched.
August 2007	NBRP Core Technology Program: Development of a Transportation System for Laboratory Mouse and Rat Resources.
January 2008	1st Rat Resource Research Meeting.
May 2008	Official website redesigned.
	NBRP-Rat achievements featured in Nature Genetics (Nat Genet. 2008 May;40(5):514-515; 516-522; 560-566).
July 2008	NBRP Genome Information Program: BAC-end sequencing of LE/Stm.
January 2009	2nd Rat Resource Research Meeting.
April 2009	Grant-funded project initiated.
January 2010	3rd Rat Resource Research Meeting.
April 2010	Distribution fees introduced.
	NBRP Core Technology Program: Development of Core Technologies for Rat Sperm.
	EURATRANS project launched.
December 2010	18th International Workshop on Genetic Systems in the Rat (Kyoto).
February 2012	5th Rat Resource Research Meeting.

Phase III (April 2012 - March 2017)

April 2012	Phase III of NBRP-Rat launched.
February 2013	6th Rat Resource Research Meeting.
January 2014	7th Rat Resource Research Meeting.
August 2014	Mid-term evaluation of Phase III; site visit by the NBRP Promotion Committee and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).
January 2015	8th Rat Resource Research Meeting.
April 2015	Project transferred to the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED).
January 2016	9th Rat Resource Research Meeting.
February 2017	10th Rat Resource Research Meeting.

Phase IV (April 2017 - March 2022)

April 2017	Phase IV of NBRP-Rat launched.
January 2018	11th Rat Resource Research Meeting.
March 2019	12th Rat Resource Research Meeting.
from April 2019	NBRP Core Technology Program: Improving Resource Preservation Efficiency and Expanding the User Community through the Development of Core Reproductive Technologies for Rats.
February 2020	13th Rat Resource Research Meeting.
January 2021	14th Rat Resource Research Meeting.
April 2021	Project transferred to MEXT.
February 2022	15th Rat Resource Research Meeting.

Phase V (April 2022 - present)

April 2022	Phase V of NBRP-Rat launched.
January 2023	16th Rat Resource Research Meeting.
April 2023	NBRP Core Technology Program: Development of Comprehensive, Regional and Functional Analysis Technologies for Cre-driver Rats (2023-2024).
January 2024	17th Rat Resource Research Meeting.
February 2025	18th Rat Resource Research Meeting.
February 2026	19th Rat Resource Research Meeting.