Animal Model Development and Behavioral Analysis Core

ABSTRACT The Animal Model Development and Behavioral Assessment (AMD-BA) Core is an essential part of the Cellular and Molecular Geroscience CoBRE. The Core is designed to provide RPLs/PPLs access to state-of-the-art behavioral assessment resources and standardized methodologies to vastly improve rigor and reproducibility of testing across cohorts of animals. The AMD-BA Core provides training and support for: 1) behavioral assessment of cognitive and physical function in animals as well as activity measures, and 2) development, maintenance, and phenotyping of novel animal models of aging and age-related chronic diseases. There is no other facility in the State of Oklahoma or the surrounding areas that offers these services. In addition, the AMD-BA Core has been instrumental in developing state-of-the-art cognitive testing paradigms to stratify animals into cognitively intact and impaired subsets; a necessary step to developing highly reproducible testing that is associated with biologically relevant endpoints. During Phase 1, the Core has been highly successful in providing these resources both locally and nationally to investigators and their staff and expanding the use of the Core. Our goal in Phase 2 is to continue to expand the resources and use of the Core leading to the development of a ‘Recharge/Service Center’. 1. The AMD-BA Core will continue to support all aspects of rodent behavioral testing, offering a battery of standardized assays (cognitive assessment using the PhenoTyper, Radial Arm Water Maze, circadian activity, muscle strength, and balance). 2. The AMD-BA Core will provide access to established models of aging needed by the RPLs and PPLs. The AMD-BA core will: a) provide consultation and resources for the generation of new mouse models of aging, b) conduct the initial characterization of, and establish behavioral endpoints for, new mouse models, and c) coordinate the distribution of newly generated animal models to investigators. 3. The AMD-BA core will assess the utility of the Core through surveys and feedback from the Geroscience community. We will establish performance metrics that will guide improvement of current testing paradigms and development of new testing methodologies. We are one of the few institutions within the nation that are equipped with AHCODA - PhenoTypers and have pioneered the testing and analysis of cognitive function in aged mice using this instrumentation.