The facilities are represented by the red boxes at the bottom of the figure. For the purpose of illustration, 4 facilities are indicated: one facility for Developmental Defects, two facilities for Nervous System and Behavior, and one NCRR-supported facility for Mouse Storage and Distribution. More facilities may be established initially, and others will probably be included in the future. All of the facilities are shown within a larger black box to indicate that they are to function as parts of a whole. One of the facilitiesÕ main interactions is the sharing of mice. This sharing is illustrated by the mice being handed between the red boxes. In addition to sharing mice among the facilities, the facilities are to develop plans to distribute mice to the rest of the scientific community, directly and/or via distribution facilities.
Interactions among the facilities, including the sharing of mice, will be coordinated by 3 levels of oversight committees. Each facility, or group of similar facilities, will have its own oversight committee (ESC or NSC; level 1), which will include the facilitiesÕ Principle Investigator. The facility will inform this committee of its progress and plans, including an account of the mutants that it is producing. This committee will advise the facility about how to proceed. Each ESCs/ NSCs will provide information to the single second level oversight committee (MSP). That committee will consist of about 10 scientists with broad expertise, none of whom are affiliated with any of the facilities. They will coordinate activities among the facilities, such as the sharing of procedures, mice, and data. In addition, the MSP will exchange information with the Trans-NIH Mouse Genomics and Genetics Committee (level 3). The latter committee consists of representatives of each of the NIH Institutes. They will help to coordinate the Mouse Mutagenesis Facilities with other NIH, and non-NIH, Mouse Genomics and Genetics projects.