Behavioral and Physiological Phenotyping

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SIGNIFICANCE. Many Monell scientists conduct studies with animals and need to characterize their chemosensory phenotypes. They will benefit from the Phenotyping Core in the following ways. 1) This Core will provide a centralized resource of equipment and supplies that will receive dedicated support and regular maintenance. The Core will also centralize labor-intensive tasks, such as making equipment for preference tests. Studies will be designed and/or conducted by Core personnel with specialized expertise in phenotyping techniques. This will be more efficient than replicating these techniques and personnel in individual laboratories. Regular use and service will ensure that equipment is always operational and available for experimentation. 2) The Core will provide access to equipment and facilities (e.g., LabMaster, surgical facility) that are not practical to maintain in individual laboratories. The Core will offer a range of services and experimental designs that are not available in individual laboratories. 3) Scientists with no experience in animal phenotyping will receive training and will have access to equipment and expertise of the Core. This will facilitate their research and help them to collect preliminary data for grant applications. 4) This Research Core will be an integral component of the Core Center. Interactions between the Phenotyping Core and other Research Cores will facilitate collaborative and interdisciplinary studies that are often not feasible for individual laboratories. For example, the Phenotyping and Histology Cores will be used to characterize genetically engineered mice generated from constructs produced using the Molecular Biology Core. In forward genetics studies, the same animals will be examined using the Phenotyping and Genotyping Cores, and the data obtained will be used for chromosomal mapping studies. We estimate that 9 of the 13 R01 grants in our Research Base will use services provided by this Core at moderate to extensive levels. We also expect that 11 current faculty research groups at Monell will use the services provided by this Core. As a result, the Phenotyping Core will improve the efficiency and quality of animal model studies at the Center, accelerate existing NIDCD-funded projects, and advance translation of the results into benefits for public health.