Natural abortions are typically called miscarriages. Medically-induced abortions, which can be completed with surgery or with hormone drugs, are performed because the foetus is unwanted, deformed, not likely to live, or endangers the mother's life or health.
The dog genome project is a collaborative study involving scientists at the University of California, The University of Oregon, and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center aimed at producing a map of all of the chromosomes in dogs, which can be used to map the genes causing disease and those genes controlling morphology and behavior.
Ostrander, head of the dog genome project at Fred Hutchinson, was among the first to appreciate the dog's potential as a model system for gene hunting. Thanks to the recent completion of the dog genome, faithful canine companions are one step closer to receiving better treatment and diagnostic options.