EFTA00942260.pdf

From: To: Epstein Jeffrey <jeevacation@grnail.com> Subject: Fwd: Dinochicken meeting proposal Date: Sat, 01 Sep 2012 16:37:51 +0000 Attachments: THE_DINOCHICKEN_PROJECT `SUMMIT=E2n_MEETING_PROPOSAL.docx Sent from my iPhone Begin forwarded message: From: Jack Homer Date: Se tember 1 2012 12:18:37 PM EDT To: Subject: Re: Dinochicken meeting proposal Dear Jeffrey, First off, many thanks for the invitation to your ranch, I had a great time, especially spending time with you and the girls, and seeing your Cretaceous sediments and the old railroad. I don't get many chances to spend time with non paleontologists or see places and things like that these days. I talked to my post does and Co-PI when I returned and got the scoop on the transgenic chickens situation, for as you know I was very surprised to hear that such a thing existed since my co-researchers were saying they didn't. As it turns out, although there are such a thing, there is simply no established protocol to create them, and they, at present do not pass on their characteristics, so in effect are useless for our project. What it is that we need to do is to be able to target a specific region of DNA, and that technology is not yet available in birds, but is expected within a year or two, so within our time frame. We hope someone else will do it first so we can use it, as this technology (homologous recombination technology, aka knockout technology) is essential to the success of this project. We do not aim to generate chickens that express an extraneous gene (a transgene), but we plan on finding the very small changes in the regulation of existing genes that curb tail, hand, and tooth development. In order to make these very small changes in the chicken genome, homologous recombination technology needs to be developed. Anyway, this is the sort of stuff we will discuss in our summit meeting, and I very much appreciate your considering the funding of this meeting. It is obviously the most important first step, and I thank you for suggesting we do it. Please give all the girls my very best wishes, and to you, whom I envy, Thanks again, Jack 9.1.12 Proposal Attached and Separate (attachment) EFTA00942260  THE DINOCHICKEN PROJECT `SUMMIT' MEETING PROPOSAL The overall goals of the `Dinochicken Project' are to `reverse engineer' an avian dinosaur (in this case, a chicken or quail) to have morphological characteristics of a non-avian dinosaur. In its purest form, the project entails reactivating dormant or latent genetic pathways that would generate atavistic characters. The characters to be modified initially are those identified previously as key differences between avian and non-avian dinosaurs: presence of teeth, hands/claws instead of wings, and a long true tail. A key component to any project is identifying what is already known and establishing connections with other scientists who may have relevant information already in hand. There are 6 PIs who will make the research decisions, and another II people who we know have expertise, and are interested in participating. The current, unpublished knowledge of these other researchers would definitely help to decide the research directions of the various PI lead teams. I am proposing to bring 12 people to Montana for the two day `summit' and we have another 5 that live here, so the meeting will include 17 research scientists plus a couple of MSU graduate students who would help with logistics. The summit meeting would be held at the Museum of the Rockies, Montana State University. Participants are currently working on Doodle.com to determine a meeting time prior to the end of 2012. The link is attached in the event that you could attend: http://doodle.com/eg2xvmvx8u3t9fxs Summit Meeting Proposed Participants Montana State University Jack Homer Lead PI (Paleontologist) Christa Merzdorf Co PI (Developmental geneticist) (tail development) Anne Blackwell Post-Doc (Developmental geneticist) (tail development) EFTA00942261 Dana Rashid Post-Doc (Developmental geneticist) (tail regeneration) Dan Post-Doc (Developmental geneticist) *Two Graduate Student Assistants McGill University Hans Larsson Co PI (Paleontologist/Developmental biologist) (hand development) Unnamed Post-doc (hand development) University of Georgia Athens Nancy Manley Co PI (developmental biologist) Doug Menke (developmental biologist/evolutionary biologist) Brian Condie (developmental geneticist) Jim Lauderdale (developmental neurologist) Robert Beckstead (poultry geneticist) Jena Chojnowski (tail development) Carlos Infante Post-doc (limb development) un-named Post-doc (transgenic technologist) EFTA00942262 Julie Gordan Post-Doc (tooth development) Clemson University Susan Chapman Co PI (developmental biologist) (tail development) BUDGET In-country airfare (Athens or Greenville): $600 x 10 = $6,000 Out of country (Montreal): $800 x 2 = $1,600 Hotel: $125 x 10 x 3 nights = $3,750 (two sets of people will share) Meals: $50 x 19 x 2 = $1,900 (two lunches and two dinners would be catered) $50 x 12 x 2 = $1,200 (meals for participants during travel to and from) Contingency and Transportation: $550 (in case some costs are higher than expected, plus transportation to and from the hotel and museum) TOTAL: $15,000 * Extra funds upon completion could be returned * The Museum of the Rockies is a 501c3 institution. Donations for this event should be earmarked as such. Museum of the Rockies 600 West Kagy Blvd. Bozeman, MT 59717 On Aug 31, 2012, at 2:49 PM, wrote: EFTA00942263 Super! Thx:) Sent from my iPhone On Aug 31, 2012, at 4:37 PM, Jack Homer wrote: Thanks =I I'll send it first thing in the morning. Jack On Aug 31, 2012, at 12:01 PM, wrote: Hello Jack! HOpe all is well with you and you have been enjoying the rest of summer. Jeffrey is asking if you could send us your request and a budget for the conference you would like to have Jeffrey support! Might you be able to email something at your earliest convenience? Assistant to Jeffrey Epstein On Aug 7, 2012, at 4:20 PM, Jack Homer wrote: Hi I wanted to thank you for all your help in getting me to Jeffrey's ranch, it was a lot of fun, and although we didn't find any dinosaur fossils, we did discover that he has ocean front property, a nice beach with loads of shellfish, potential for marine reptiles, and a really cool old railway. Jeffrey and the girls were very gracious hosts as were Brice and Karen. And, of course, the food was incredible!! Jeffrey indicated that he would help out my Dinochicken Project by supporting a conference of all our various participants, so I need to know what sorts of information you might need from me, or how I should proceed. Jeffrey also indicated that he might be able to come out to visit a dinosaur site in September, and if this is a possibility, it would be good to get an approximate potential date so that I could make arrangements to EFTA00942264 and from the closest airports. There is one site located in northern Montana about 300 miles north of Bozeman, and another about 350 miles east of Bozeman. The one to the north is private land and many the fossils found could be kept. The site to the east is government land and found specimens have to go to the museum. Both sites produce a great many dinosaur fossils. Please give my best to Jeffrey and the girls. All the best, jack EFTA00942265