# Metabolic Phenotyping Cluster

> **NIH NIH S10** · UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS MEDICAL CENTER · 2020 · $601,761

## Abstract

Abstract
Funds are requested to acquire new metabolic phenotyping equipment that will expand and enhance a
successful metabolic phenotyping facility at the University of Kansas Medical Center. We are specifically seeking
to acquire multiple pieces of equipment that synergize to improve the capacity to perform mouse metabolic
phenotyping experimentation through increasing overall throughput, accuracy, and technical capabilities.
Maladaptive systemic energy metabolism is increasingly recognized as a primary driver of disease pathologies.
In the past, energy metabolism was primarily studied in the areas of obesity and type 2 diabetes, however,
accumulating evidence shows that metabolic dysfunction contributes to multiple disease processes including
neurological disorders, brain and spinal cord injury, chronic pain, liver disease and toxicology, and cancer. Our
current Metabolic and Obesity Research Phenotyping (MORPh) facility includes rodent indirect calorimetry, body
composition analysis, and food/water behavior data collection instrumentation. The MORPh is used >90% of
working time, driving our need to expand current services for a growing clientele. We are seeking to purchase a
new 16-cage mouse indirect calorimetry system to expand on our current 8-cage system. The system will also
have in-line, real-time stable isotope gas analysis, a new technology that will allow for cutting edge measures of
substrate utilization in-vivo. We are also seeking to maximize the capacity of the current BioDAQ food/water
behavior acquisition system so that a greater number of dual choice reward studies (sucrose vs. water or control
vs. high fat diet) or single sensor neuroendocrine control of food intake experiments can be employed at one
time. The additional equipment included in the application will provide new experimental opportunities and focus
on ambient temperature control and induction of metabolic phenotypes. We specifically seek to acquire multiple
units of a specialized, long-term caging system which can maintain thermoneutral housing (30-35°C), as well as,
temperature-controlled cabinets which can acutely (hours to days) modulate ambient temperature through a
larger range (5-50°C) to allow performance of indirect calorimetry experiments under precise temperature control
and acutely induce metabolic phenotypes with heat or cold stress. We additionally are seeking respirometry
treadmills to measure energy metabolism during the stress of exercise at various intensities and to accurately
measure aerobic capacity, a critical determinant of human health often ignored in rodent studies. Finally, we are
seeking to acquire a bomb calorimeter system to accurately measure net energy intake as energy consumed
(food) minus energy out (feces) of rodent models to more precisely measure energy balance outcomes.
Successful acquisition of the proposed equipment will enhance throughput, accuracy, and precision of an
existing metabolic phenotyping facility that serves mul...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9940079
- **Project number:** 1S10OD028598-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** John P Thyfault
- **Activity code:** S10 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $601,761
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-07-15 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9940079

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9940079, Metabolic Phenotyping Cluster (1S10OD028598-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9940079. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*