Energy Balance Core

The University of Washington (UW) Nutrition Obesity Research Center (NORC) Energy Balance (EB) Core is directed by Gregory Morton, with Joshua Thaler serving as Associate Core Director. The primary function of this Core is to provide Affiliate Investigators (AIs) with state-of-the-art resources for comprehensive metabolic phenotyping of rodents. The Specific Aims for the Energy Balance Core are: Specific Aim 1: To provide AIs with a state-of-the-art resource for comprehensive energy balance and metabolic phenotyping of rodent models relevant to nutrition and obesity. The EB Core provides comprehensive quantitative assessment of energy balance parameters including indirect calorimetry with energy expenditure (EE) normalization by multiple linear regression, body and tissue composition on living and biopsied specimens, ambulatory activity, wheel running activity and energy intake with meal pattern analysis. We also offer video monitoring services and extensive thermoregulatory services including continuous core body temperature monitoring, thermal gradient tests, and measures of brown adipose tissue and tail-temperature that can be performed at any ambient temperature using temperature-controlled chambers. As the UW NORC EB Core is the sole provider of these services in the Seattle area, the UW NORC plays a critical role in the productivity and scientific advances of the nutrition and obesity research community. Specific Aim 2: To provide an organizational structure that ensures services are provided to AIs in a timely, efficient and cost-effective manner, and that quality control for all services is routinely assessed. We optimize the scope of services offered and ensure that they fit seamlessly and without overlap with services offered via other UW programs and centers. Services are optimized for our AIs through a streamlined process for animal transfers and handling; highly skilled and trained personnel with extensive experience in the performance of metabolic studies; routine assessment of specialized equipment to ensure consistency and quality control; and strong leadership with expertise in the design, analysis and interpretation of rodent metabolic phenotypes related to nutrition and obesity. Specific Aim 3: To provide training and develop new services that keep pace with relevant technological advances while meeting the evolving needs of our user base. The UW NORC EB Core was leveraged to successfully obtain a NIH S10 Grant for the purchase of a new Sable Systems Promethion Core system for metabolic phenotyping of mice and rats. Not only does this improve the throughput of services provided to our AIs, but it also provides several new and exciting features. These include a 1) stable isotope gas analyzer that enables quantitative assessment of exogenous and endogenous nutrient oxidation rates, 2) computer-controlled food access that allows for pair-, yoked- and time-restricted feeding studies and 3) metabolic cages can be integrated with tethered-based systems including advanced neuroscience technologies. In addition, we devote time and resources to teaching and training activities to our NORC AIs and the broader scientific community, including normalization of EE data and the development of a symposium related to the regulation of energy homeostasis and use of indirect calorimetry equipment.