PROJECT SUMMARY BEHAVIORAL PHENOTYPING CORE (BPC) The Center for Systems Neurogenetics of Addiction (CSNA) brings together experts in model organism genetic studies of addiction, who are focused on the discovery of biological mechanisms through which predisposing behavioral trait variation (e.g., impulsivity, novelty seeking, drug sensitivity, compulsive drug seeking) influences the self-administration of drugs. Achieving this goal requires rigorous and reproducible investigation of large, genetically diverse mouse populations and complex behavioral phenotyping analysis. Over the past five years, the Behavioral Phenotyping Core (BPC) has established and streamlined multiple pipelines for complex behavioral analysis of predisposing and drug self-administration traits. Working closely with Project Leads, the BPC has been integral in providing the behavioral phenotyping for the CSNA’s goal of defining extreme responder strains within the Collaborative Cross inbred population and discovering novel genes and mechanisms that modulate addiction-related behaviors in Diversity Outbred mice. With sophisticated facilities to perform broad, in-depth behavioral phenotyping batteries, and personnel with demonstrated expertise in using such facilities and methods, the BPC will continue to carry out multiple and diverse behavioral phenotyping assays efficiently and accurately for the CSNA. The overall objective of the BPC is to support the CSNA and external investigators with cost-effective, large-scale centralization and execution of behavioral phenotyping in mice. The Specific Aims of the BPC are: 1) To provide high-throughput behavioral phenotyping capabilities for addiction- related traits in genetically diverse mouse populations using our highly advanced, multidimensional, and streamlined phenotyping platform; 2) To adapt and deploy new phenotyping assays to extend the characterization of addiction-related traits; and 3) To support the dissemination of Core datasets, protocols, resources, phenotyping capabilities and expertise. The BPC will interact closely with the other two CSNA cores, including the Integrative Genetics and Genomics Core to perform multivariate data analysis and integrate behavioral data with genetic information, and the Mouse Resources and Validation Core to receive validation cohorts for behavioral testing. In addition, through the CSNA, external investigators will be provided access to the BPC facilities, and expertise and training in behavioral experimentation. The BPC will make testing protocols and data available to the research community through the Mouse Phenome Database, a publicly accessible repository curated at JAX.