In recent years, the importance of transgenic and knockout mice to the field of biomedical research has become clear. The number of strains available to researchers privately as well as through central repositories, such as the Jackson Laboratories Mutant Mouse Resource, has resulted in widespread availability. Tapping into this resource, however, requires that the investigator have the necessary skills in animal husbandry, DNA isolation, and PCR technology, to maintain a viable colony of experimental animals. The animal husbandry procedures may be beyond the individual investigator's control and procedures for genetic typing require hardware that is not routinely available. The creation of a transgenic mouse core would allow investigators to streamline animal husbandry, routine health monitoring, and genetic typing of mutant mouse strains. Such a service will increase efficiency and enhance awareness of strains currently under investigation as part of our research program. The participating investigators include laboratories that have already initiated numerous interactions and collaborations, suggesting that the incorporation of such a facilitative core will create synergy, resulting in the identification of new research directions. The laboratories include scientists with expertise in cochlear development, anatomy, molecular biology, and physiology, which should allow for the creation of comprehensive research plans that further our understanding of basic processes involved in auditory function and dysfunction.