The Animal Models Core (AMC) provides expertise, technical support, and training in a variety of animal models to investigate the physiology and physiopathology of the digestive system. The Core is highly relevant to the translational and clinical foci of the Programs of the research base of the UCLA: Digestive Diseases Research Core Center for the Study of Cellular Signaling and Communication (UCLA: DDRCC-SigCo). Experimental tools and animal models will support and enhance the research approaches of UCLA: DDRCC-SigCo members exploring mechanisms of inflammation and cellular transformation, enteric neuroscience and disruption of the brain-gut-microbiome axis using wild type and genetically modified mice as relevant experimental models, along with a newly set porcine model of high translational value. The animal models and methodological approaches offered are made possible through the well-established and complementary expertise of the AMC Directors and Personnel in stress, enteric nervous system, brain-gut interactions, gut motility, visceral pain, intestinal permeability, pancreatic and intestinal inflammation and feeding behavior. The AMC provides the following Core services I. Consultation, education and training of members on models, methods, protocols, best practice of animal use, and preparation of animal experimental protocols for institutional approval; II. Access to well-characterized relevant chemical, genetic or experimental models for gut physiology and disease studies, including models to examine colonic motility, visceral hypersensitivity, colitis and pancreatitis, development of pancreatic pre-cancerous lesions, food intake, energy metabolism, stress and obesity III. Access to Core equipment use and training for digestive functional bioassays and small and large animal imaging; IV. Performance of drug delivery, collection of body fluids and surgical procedures and pilot studies.
Contact Information:
Million Mulugeta, DVM, PhD, AGAF
Animal Models Core Director
MillionMulugeta@mednet.ucla.edu
Guido Eibl, MD
Animal Models Core Co-Director
GEibl@mednet.ucla.edu
Yvette Tache, PhD (Emeritus)
YTache@mednet.ucla.edu
