"UK scientists who decoded a third of the human genome say their next target will be the zebrafish. They will use the genetic data from the colourful animal to help them decipher the functions of human genes. The work could shed light on common human birth defects and a host of other health problems, including those of the heart, blood and nervous system. The three-year project will be carried out at the Sanger Centre, just outside Cambridge, in an initiative that will again be funded by the Wellcome Trust medical research charity.

The humble zebrafish, like the mouse and the fruit fly, has long been used as a model for human health in laboratory studies. Its genetic material, or genome, is about half the size of our own. The zebrafish has similar blood, kidney and optical systems to that of humans. "

Full Story:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1034000/1034366.stm

The Sanger Center
http://www.sanger.ac.uk