About the VDRC

The Vienna Drosophila RNAi Center (VDRC) is a joint initiative of the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA) and the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP). The VDRC exploits and further develops the Drosophila transgenic RNAi library generated by the Dickson group, formerly at IMBA and now at the IMP. Its mission is to promote scientific discoveries based on the use of this technology. Funding and operations of the VDRC are fully independent of scientific research conducted at IMBA and the IMP. The VDRC is supported by an external scientific advisory board, consisting of:

• Matthew Freeman, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, UK
• Angela Giangrande, IGBMC-CNRSC.U. Strasbourg, France
• Maria Leptin, Institute of genetics, University of Koeln, Germany

The in vivo RNAi approach allows researchers to systematically knock down individual Drosophila genes, using the GAL4/UAS system to target the RNAi to specific cells in the animal. With over 85% of the Drosophila genome covered, this promises to be a powerful method to assign functions to known and newly-annotated genes from the genome sequencing effort.

The VDRC currently works toward fulfilling three major objectives:

• To maintain the ~ 22,000 Drosophila stocks (the RNAi library), and to make them available to researchers worldwide.
• To further develop and improve the in vivo RNAi technology.
• To conduct independent externally funded research based on RNAi library.