Animal Metabolism Phenotyping Core

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Project Summary – Animal Metabolism Phenotyping Core The Animal Metabolism Phenotyping Core is a high throughput facility dedicated to studying components of energy balance related to obesity and other nutritionally related diseases. The Core provides access to state- of-the-art methods, instrumentation, and access to mouse populations (such as Collaborative Cross lines and several genetically engineered mouse models unique to UNC) to assure a high level of quality control, reproducibility and maximal throughput that could not be achieved (or afforded) by individual investigators. The Core offers a variety of comprehensive, high-throughput services that can be interfaced with nutritional (and/or other environmental) treatments, such as long-term feeding of different diets or short-term provision of specific nutrients and therapeutic compounds. The Core provides investigators with critical information on the selection of appropriate diets, including the use of rigorous controls, and access to the Collaborative Cross and Diversity Outbred “next generation” mouse resource for nutrition and obesity research. The Core also provides training and professional development as it relates to studying components of murine energy balance. Based on strong demand from UNC NORC members, the Core implemented the scientific and technical support for mitochondria phenotyping of live cells and isolated mitochondria, an area of expertise for the Core Co- Directors. Core services were expanded from the University of North Carolina (UNC) Chapel Hill campus to include an additional site at the UNC Nutrition Research Institute (NRI) in Kannapolis, NC. The Core now has three mirrored facilities. Two of these facilities are located at the Chapel Hill campus in Kerr Hall and in the Genetic Medicine Building. The third facility is at the NRI. The NRI houses basic and translational scientists from UNC and other institutions/industry that rely on mouse models for studies consistent with the objectives of the UNC NORC. The purpose of this expansion was three-fold. First, it further enabled researchers housed at the NRI to utilize the UNC NORC core services. Second, it leveraged the extensive resources available at the NRI, including additional vivarium space. And third, it enables core services to be provided to a diverse group of external users, including academic partners from Appalachian State University, NC A&T University, NC Central University, NC State University, UNC Charlotte, UNC Greensboro, and industry partners.