Support for Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping Centers

Notice Number: NOT-DK-06-014

Key Dates
Release Date: August 14, 2006

Issued by
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) (http://www.niddk.nih.gov)

This notice serves to inform potential applicants that the NIDDK is accepting applications for Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping Centers (MMPC) to be supported via subcontracts to the MMPC Coordinating and Bioinformatics Unit (CBU). Applications must be received by September 8, 2006. In addition to animal and administrative cores, the Center application must include phenotyping cores only in one or more of the following areas:

  • Diabetic neuropathy, especially for tests conducted in the living animal. The ability to develop new tests would be considered valuable;

  • Isotopic measurement of intracellular metabolic pathway fluxes conducted in vivo and in isolated organs such as heart and liver. Examples include fluxes through the gluconeogenic and glycogen pathways, lipid, carbohydrate and protein synthesis/oxidation pathways, mitochondrial function and energy status, etc. The ability to metabolically phenotype diabetic cardiomyopathy and other diabetic complications would be considered valuable;

  • Whole body carbohydrate/lipid metabolism, insulin resistance and beta cell responsiveness, measured using the glucose and insulin clamp procedure in conscious mice, including isotopic measures of substrate uptake.

The MMPC is a basic science consortium (www.mmpc.org) with a mission to advance medical and biological research by providing the scientific community with standardized, high quality metabolic and physiologic phenotyping services, on a fee-for-service basis, for mouse models of diabetes, diabetic complications, obesity and related disorders. The MMPCs have been charged with the following specific goals: 1) broaden the scope and availability of metabolic phenotyping tests for mice; 2) standardize key methodologies; 3) expedite the completion of research; 4) assist young investigators or established investigators from other scientific fields in diabetes and obesity research; and 5) work closely with the CBU to compile a database of information relevant to mouse models of diabetes, obesity and diabetic complications. The Centers were funded through RFA DK-05-008. Information about the current MMPCs, including a catalog of services, policies and guidelines, can be found at http://www.mmpc.org/.

Complete instructions for applications can be found at http://www.mmpc.org/mmpc%20subcontract%20applications.pdf.

Inquiry

For Information about this notice and the MMPC, contact:

Maren Laughlin, Ph.D.
Senior Advisor for Integrative Metabolism
NIDDK, NIH
Phone: (301) 594-8802
E-mail: maren.laughlin@nih.gov

For Application Submission:

Applications must be received by September 8, 2006 (one signed paper copy, and a PDF version on a CD) and should be submitted to:

Richard A. McIndoe, Ph.D.
Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine
Medical College of Georgia
1120 15th Street, CA4127
Augusta, GA 30912
Phone: 706-721-3542
Fax: 706-721-3688
E-mail: rmcindoe@mail.mcg.edu