Animal Behavioral and Physiology Core

Overview of Services

The Animal Behavior and Physiology Core (AB&P) is located on Karp 4th Floor and has been designed to provide a time-efficient and cost-effective service for the comprehensive characterization of complex behaviors in mouse models of neurodevelopmental disorders, with emphasis on facilitating genetic analyses of complex traits. The AB&P aims to provide the facilities and advice to test novel therapeutic drugs and interventions in mouse models of human disorders and diseases, greatly increasing translational research capacity at Boston Children's Hospital. One of the unique features of the AB&P is the availability of specialised environments for studying the interaction between "nature and nurture" e.g. dark rearing, sounds isolation and standardised environmental enrichment (http://www.viewpoint.fr/en/p/equipment/marlau-enrichment-cage). The AB&P provides both the necessary equipment, protocols and training for studying neurodevelopmental disorders, focusing not just on “snapshots” in time but on developmental milestones. The AB&P is equipped to perform batteries of behavioral tests to thoroughly phenotype specific social, emotional and cognitive behaviors, as well as motor, auditory and visual function and the general health of the animals.  Where possible analyses have been automated to improve inter-rater reliability and remove subjectivity.  We use Ethovision XT video tracking systems (http://www.noldus.com/animal-behavior-research/products/ethovision-xt) to monitor exploratory behavior and have other video cameras and infra-red beam break systems for recording other behavioral activity for offline analysis.  The AB&P now has 2 EEG systems - a tethered system (http://www.pinnaclet.com/eeg-emg-systems.html) with capacity for up to 6 subjects and a telemetry system (http://www.datasci.com/products/implantable-telemetry/mouse-(miniature)/f20-eet) for up to 8 subjects.  There is also capability to measure ECG  (http://www.mousespecifics.com/heart/ecgenie/) and respiration (http://pulmonary.emka.fr/syst.php?sys=1) in conscious mice without need for surgery.

Staff of the AB&P are very willing to work with PIs and Fellows to develop and validate new behavioral outcome measures related to neural development and disorders of development that will contribute to a greater understanding of behavioral changes during development and how disorders in these lead to altered function. 

 The behavioral facility will provide a unique opportunity for training scientists and teaching graduate and undergraduate students in the measurement of the behavioral outcomes of developmental disorders.  We endorse the ethos of the ARRIVE guidelines (https://www.nc3rs.org.uk/arrive-guidelines) which are designed to improve the reporting standards of in vivo experimentation and we encourage scientists that use the AB&P to read the ARRIVE guidelines and use them as a checklist PRIOR to designing their experiments (see links and resources below).

The NBC is under the direction of Dr. Michela Fagiolini and managed by Dr. Nate Hodgson.  Leo Mejia, Julie Zhao and Kamil Moroz are the NBC's dedicated Research Assistants.  Dr. Hodgson and Dr. Fagiolini are backed up by an internal advisory committee which will regularly review the AB&P and an external advisory committee composed of experts outside of Boston Children's Hospital. The NBC is under the expert administrative guidance of Amy Weinberg, MPH, Administrator of the IDDRC.

Cite the Core!

Please cite the Animal Behavior and Physiology Core in your publications in the following way:
We thank the IDDRC Animal Behavior and Physiology Core, funded by NIH/NICHD P50 HD105351

LEADERSHIP

Michela Fagiolini, Ph.D. | Core Director

Phone: 617-919-2419

Email: michela.fagiolini@childrens.harvard.edu

Nate Hodgson, Ph.D. | Associate Director

Phone: 914-482-5334

Email: Nathaniel.Hodgson@childrens.harvard.edu

Bruna Lenfers, Ph.D | Pain Specialist

Email: Bruna.LenfersTurnes@childrens.harvard.edu

Amy Weinberg, MPH | Center Administrator

Phone: 617-919-4023

Email: amy.weinberg@childrens.harvard.edu

Location and hours of operation

Links and Resources

1. Neurodevelopmental Behavioral Core IDDRC Website
2. Room Equipment Inventory
   
3. The ARRIVE guidelines

Contacts