The mission of the Rodent Metabolic Phenotyping Core is to provide the necessary resources and expertise to allow investigators to perform state-of-the-art studies of metabolism in rodent models.
The Specific Aims of the RMPC
- Provide access to state-of-the-art resources and expertise for rodent metabolic studies. Rodents have served as important models for human diseases and our understanding of diabetes, obesity and other metabolic disorders has increased tremendously as a result of dietary and genetic manipulations in these animals. In many cases, the standard techniques for phenotyping rodents are not accessible to individual investigators because they require expert surgical skills and facilities for infusion and handling of radioactive isotopes (e.g., clamps) or prohibitively expensive equipment that requires training and expertise to maintain (e.g., indirect calorimetry). By providing these services, the RMPC reduces duplication of expensive equipment and personnel, and ultimately limits research costs. These goals are well aligned with the overall mission of the DRC to promote and facilitate research into diabetes and metabolism.
- Provide individualized guidance and assistance for designing and implementing in vivo metabolic assays. A key function of the core is to make metabolic assays accessible to investigators who would otherwise not be able to perform such studies. In many cases, this involves providing guidance as to the selection of appropriate assays within the suite of services offered by the core, and we are happy to do this.
- Promote interactions and synergy among cores of the DRC. The RMPC fosters close interactions with the Radioimmunoassay/Biomarkers, Islet Cell Biology, Transgenic and Chimeric Mouse, Functional Genomics, Viral Vector, and Metabolomics cores in order to optimize metabolic studies in rodent models.
Leadership
Jennifer Rojas, Ph.D., Technical Director
Joseph A. Baur, Ph.D., Director
Location
The Rodent Metabolic Phenotyping Core is located at Institute for Diabetes, Obesity, & Metabolism in the Smilow Center for Translational Research
TRC Rooms: 150-154
3400 Civic Center Boulevard - Building 421
Philadelphia, PA 19104-5160
Links and Resources
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