05/22/06 Human health aspects of mule cloning

These are exciting times for Dirk Vanderwall and Gordon Woods. The two University of Idaho researchers who developed the world's first cloned mules will see two of their prodigy in action June 2nd through the 4th. That's when Idaho Gem and Idaho Star make their mule racing debuts in Winnemucca, Nevada. Woods expects them to perform just like any other three year old mules. WOODS "The first time ever cloned animals are going to be athletically competing. That's a whole new level of excitement." But for Woods the mule clone research has taken him down another path; work on cell activity and cell division as it relates to human health. WOODS "It's just provided a powerful tool for us to go in an identify chemical explanations for why horses have a low incidence of diseases which humans have a real problem with in advanced stage, diseases like diabetes and some specific cancers like prostate cancer and breast cancer." At a Northwest Equine Reproduction Lab at the University of Idaho the six member executive board said last month that their main focus was the further study of human health using the horse as a model. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott