PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT (ANIMAL MODELS & PHENOTYPING CORE) The Animal Models and Phenotyping Core (AMPC) supports animal-based studies across the NORC theme of “Nutrition, Obesity and Metabolic Health through the Lifespan”. These services focus on two primary areas: 1) the controlled manipulation of gene expression in rodents, and 2) provide state-of-the-art in vivo metabolic and behavioral phenotyping. Over past funding cycles, the AMPC has been a key component of the overall mission of the Pennington/Louisiana NORC, enhancing and facilitating funded research while also stimulating new and innovative research related to nutrition and obesity. The AMPC is essential for a broad range of research within the NORC, supporting more than 36 NIDDK and other NIH grants in the past cycle while also interacting closely with the Administrative Core, Molecular Mechanisms Core, and the Human Phenotyping Core to assure success in achieving the Specific Aims of each research project. This critical support will be sustained in the current cycle by: A) continuing to utilize transgenic and gene targeting techniques to generate rodent models that mimic human metabolic disease states; B) using state of the art equipment and technology to conduct detailed in vivo metabolic and behavioral phenotyping, and; C) providing consultation related to rodent nutrition and obesity research, training in the use of experimental services, and pursuing new methods and experimental paradigms that anticipate the needs of NORC members and Pilot and Feasibility projects. Through these goals, the AMPC will directly support the use of animal models to better understand human disease states in a translational research approach while also facilitating cross-talk among scientists focused on nutrition and obesity research.