Rodent models for human disease are important tools in translational and preclinical studies. The Core provides numerous state-of-the-art murine or rat models of human disease. We have developed and standardized many small animal surgical models suitable for translational and preclinical research. The Core currently provides multiple services for physiological function assessment and response to drugs. We would be happy to work with you on developing any additional animal models or new surgical procedures that fit your research. All procedures are performed according to the Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) approved Animal Use Protocol (AUP) Protocol

Please refer to the specific disease model for details for appropriate in vivo studies.

We can collect organs (heart, lung, bone or bladder etc.), blood and cells per experimental design. The tissue can be fixed for histopathology and immunohistology analysis, or snap-frozen tissue can be used for omic (mRNA, miRNA, or protein/phoshphoprotein) analyses. Standard analyses can be performed on whole blood or its components. Specific cells (see below) can be isolated and cultures generated for various signaling or functional assays. All procedures are performed according to the Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) approved Animal Use Protocol (AUP) Protocol.

Among the many cell cultures that can be generated from murine tissue are:

• Adult cardiomyocytes
• ‎Neonatal cardiomyocytes‎
• Airway, alveolar epithelial cells
• Airway, aortic smooth muscle cells
• Endothelial cells
• Osteoblasts, osteoclasts

Please refer to the specific disease model of interest  to identify related cell, tissue-based assays.

We can deliver drug or compound to the animal using various routes depending on the delivery vehicle. Delivery routes include ingestion (via eating/drinking), oral gavage, inhalation, peritoneal injection, tail vain injection and subcutaneous injection. For continuous delivery, the core can implant Alzet osmotic minipumps, or use thermoreversible gel (Pluronic® F127 gel). With appropriately labelled compounds, biodistribution can be accessed via various means.

We do not perform PK/PD studies, nor do we perform toxicology studies other than assessing mortality when it is an end point in in vivo functional studies.  We do, however, provide consulting in ADMET and can coordinate with you to supply blood or tissues from in vivo studies to any company that provides ADMET services.