Celera Teams with New Zealand Biotech Company to Discover Novel Bovine Genes
Celera will bring its high-throughput DNA sequencing, library development, and bioinformatics capabilities to the collaboration, identifying important expressed genes in dairy cattle. ViaLactia will contribute access to bovine research and to well-characterized dairy populations. By combining their strengths, the companies hope to gain insight into the underlying biochemistry associated with milk products and protein and fat production in milk.
All intellectual property developed under the collaboration will be jointly owned. Further terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
According to Stephen Bates, vice president of Celera and General Manager of Celera AgGen, Celera's gene discovery program should accelerate the discovery of novel bovine genes that ViaLactia can use in the New Zealand dairy industry's integrated breeding programs.
"ViaLactia, through its' access to cattle populations, related phenotypic information and extensive knowledge of the dairy industry, together with Celera's information and discovery systems, will begin building a broad-based repository of information related to cattle biology," Bates added.
ViaLactia Biosciences, established in 1999 by the New Zealand Dairy Industry (NZDI), is applying biotechnology to the development of products and processes. The company's goal is to position New Zealand as the leading global producer of high-quality, low-cost dairy products.
Celera Genomics Group, a PE Corp. business, intends to become the definitive source of genomic and related medical information.
For more information: J. Craig Venter, President and Chief Scientific Officer, Celera Genomics Group, 45 W. Gude Dr., Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 240-453-3000 or 877-235-3721. Fax: 240-453-4000.