Ultra-low temperature freezer for storage of biological samples

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The applicants behind the current proposal use animal models to answer basic questions about the way in which the nervous and immune systems work. As part of their studies, both laboratories withdraw tissue samples from animals that have been used in nutritional or exercise-related experiments. The isolated samples contain the very basic building blocks of life (DNA and protein), which can be analysed to show whether changes have been caused by the different experiments. For example, the possibility that eating certain foods affects our behaviour can be studied by looking for diet-induced changes in the levels of proteins known to be important for brain function. Due to the complex design of animal experiments, the importance of making the most of tissue taken from animals, and the fact that many experiments need to be done several times, the collected samples need to be stored in a fashion that will allow them to be kept in a stable condition for long periods. The best way to maintain tissue samples in a good state over a long period of time is to keep them at a very low temperature. By doing so, the breakdown of the samples that would normally occur can be avoided, and the tissue can be analysed on many occasions. As a result, the quality of data that can be gathered will be improved, and the number of animals that need to be used will be reduced.