Enhancing Neuroscience Research at Tufts: Expansion of the Animal Behavior Core

Tufts University Boston, Boston MA

Investigators

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): A serious global public health problem concerns maintaining the quality and effectiveness of life as people live longer and are thus susceptible to more chronic and acute diseases and disorders. Recognizing this opportunity, the current administration of Tufts University has invested in the interdisciplinary area of Neurosciences research and education with the goal of developing this field into one of its leading programs. At the heart of this plan is the identification of the behavioral consequences of molecular genetic manipulations with the long term goal of identifying new therapeutic targets for the treatment of disorders such as epilepsy, depression, disorders of learning, memory and cognition, as well as neurodegenerative disorders. Such studies require a detailed analysis of murine behavior, and thus access to behavioral testing facilities is essential for contemporary translational neuroscience research. At Tufts University School of Medicine (TUSM), our behavioral testing facility is an integral component of our Division of Laboratory Animal Medicine (DLAM). However, the behavioral facility of DLAM no longer has the capacity required to support the research of our growing research community. We request funds to expand the murine behavioral facility within DLAM. Our goal is to provide the Neuroscience research community at Tufts with a shared facility totaling 1,753 square feet (a 1.78-fold increase over the current facility) that provides a necessary range of advanced state- of-the-art behavioral testing services in order to accelerate high-impact research. Aim 1: Enlarge the Animal Behavior Facility within the existing Division of Laboratory Animal Medicine (DLAM) facilities. We will expand the Behavior Core into adjacent DLAM space, resulting in a doubling of the number of testing rooms for studying murine behavior. We will also expand the cage capacity of a reverse light cycle mouse holding room that is located in the facility while maintaining additional facilities that include a procedure room for surgery. The behavior core expansion will leverage additional funds from TUSM for the renovation of new space for DLAM that will yield a net increase in cage capacity. Aim 2: Provide adequate capacity and facilities for advanced behavioral testing modules and animal holding rooms. Because of limited space within the existing behavior core, much of behavioral testing equipment sits in storage and needs to be shuttled in and out of the behavior core to accommodate each investigator's needs. The expansion of the core will allow us to develop individual testing rooms targeted to specific behavioral modalities and will allow us to accommodate this equipment on a full time basis within the core. Support from the NCRR together with other investments provided by Tufts University, will allow a partnership that allows dramatic breakthroughs in our understanding of disorders of the brain, including epilepsy, depression, schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease.