 Contrasting to forward genetics, reverse genetics seeks to understand the genetic basis of a disease by examining how transgenes affect phenotype.Fuchs first applied the technique by engineering a gene that affected keratin function and disrupted the framework of cells.Inserting this mutant keratin into transgenic mice caused heavy epidermal blistering; analysis showed this blistering to be nearly identical to the dermatological disorder, epidermolysis bullosa simplex.