GENETICALLY-modified mice are to be used by North-East scientists looking for ways of fighting a newly-discovered human disease.

Scientists at Newcastle University have known about the disease for more than 15 years, but were only able to identify the genetic mutation responsible for the illness in the past few months.

Earlier this week, a team led by genetics expert Professor John Burn announced that the disease, which will be called neuroferritinopathy, appeared to be caused by a build-up of iron in brain cells.

It produces uncontrollable jerky movements similar to Huntington's disease or Parkinson's disease, but is a quite separate disorder.

Although it is very rare and can be traced back to a single Cumbrian family, it may have spread all over the world in the past 200 years because of migration.

Now the Tyneside team has revealed that the controversial "transgenic" mouse unit, which is to be built at Newcastle University will be used to try to work out ways to treat the disease.

"Our transgenic mouse unit will be looking to develop a mouse model to look at ways to treat it," said Prof Burn.

The mice are already used by the Newcastle scientists, but they have to buy them in from a small number of breeding units.

By setting up their own unit, the team believes it will help the North-East become a world-class contender in the competitive field of genetic medical research.

Using funds donated by the late North-East author, Catherine Cookson, mice have been bred to carry the gene that caused the rare disease, which was responsible for her death.

"We need to try to find out what it is about the iron pathway that is causing this problem," said Prof Burn.

The mouse unit is also likely to be useful in understanding a wide range of inherited conditions, including dementia, heart disease and cancer.