Improving Husbandry and Data Reproducibility Through Automated Health Monitoring in Zebrafish Facilities

摘要/总结 斑马鱼是开发和筛选人类治疗药物和模拟人类的宝贵工具 疾病这种动物模型在基因上与人类惊人地相似，共享70%的人类基因（由 相比之下，小鼠具有约80%的人类基因的直系同源物，以及82-90%的人类疾病相关基因。 然而，目前，斑马鱼设施缺乏一种负担得起的，精确的方式来监测和跟踪的健康， 以自动化的方式管理鱼类资源，并将鱼类健康与可能影响鱼类健康的外在因素联系起来。 结果，使用不健康的鱼进行研究可能导致研究的不可重复性和虚假的结论， 最终浪费了时间、金钱和科研成果。我们建议建立一个斑马鱼健康监测 系统“FishCam”，它有可能自动化健康检查，并跟踪他们沿着， 环境数据（例如，水质），从而彻底改变水产养殖和斑马鱼的鱼类养殖 laboratories.在第一阶段的目标1中，我们将建立一个可靠地捕获斑马鱼图像和视频的系统。 人口在第1阶段目标2中，我们将开发软件算法，提取参数，例如 每个鱼缸里的鱼，它们的大小和它们在过去48小时内的活动水平。在第二阶段目标1中，我们将 扩展FishCam成像和分析系统，使其与商业斑马鱼支架和水箱兼容 系统（“FishCam智能机架”）。最后，在第二阶段目标2中，我们将对FishCam Smart进行beta测试。 机架系统，针对美国外部站点的实际安装进行优化。 这些目标的实现将产生一个自动化的，标准化的系统，斑马鱼健康 这将减少变异性，并有助于确保斑马鱼研究的科学有效性。通过推进 斑马鱼养殖，拟议的项目旨在促进对人类疾病的更深入了解， 简化人类疗法的发展。

ABSTRACT / SUMMARY The zebrafish is an invaluable tool for developing and screening human therapeutics and modeling human diseases. This animal model is strikingly genetically similar to humans, sharing 70% of all human genes (by comparison, mice have orthologs of ~80% of human genes), and 82-90% of human disease-associated genes. Currently, however, zebrafish facilities lack an affordable, precise way to monitor and track the health of their fish stock in an automated way, and to correlate fish health with extrinsic factors that may affect it. As a result, research using unhealthy fish may lead to irreproducibility in research and spurious conclusions, ultimately wasting time, money, and scientific effort. We propose the creation of a zebrafish health monitoring system, “FishCam,” which has the potential to automate wellness checks and track them along with environmental data (e.g., water quality) and, thus, revolutionize fish husbandry in aquaculture and zebrafish laboratories. In Phase 1 Aim 1, we will build a system that reliably captures images and video of a zebrafish population. In Phase 1 Aim 2, we will develop software algorithms that extract parameters such as how many fish are in each tank, their size and their activity levels over the previous 48 hours. In Phase 2 Aim 1, we will extend the FishCam imaging and analysis system to be compatible with commercial zebrafish rack and tank systems (“FishCam Smart Rack”). Finally, in Phase 2 Aim 2, we will perform beta testing of the FishCam Smart Rack system, optimizing it for real-world installations at external sites in the United States. Achievement of these aims will produce an automated, standardized system for zebrafish health monitoring which will reduce variability and help ensure scientific validity of zebrafish research. By advancing zebrafish husbandry, the proposed project aims to facilitate greater insights into human diseases and streamline the development of human therapeutics.