# Yale Metabolic Phenotyping Core

> **NIH NIH S10** · YALE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $493,258

## Abstract

This application for the SHARED INSTRUMENTATION GRANT PROGRAM (SIG) NIH PAR-18-600 proposes
to established a metabolic phenotyping suite outfitted with 16 state-of-the-art Sable Promethion Metabolic
Cages capable of performing adult and neonatal whole body phenotyping by synchronizing metabolic and
behavioral information. The non-sealed open-housing cage design allows for experimental maneuvers to be
performed, e.g., drug administration, diet changes, environmental enrichment, etc. during the experimental
period without interrupting data collection, and facilitiates studies in a wide variety of disease and physical
disability models. In addition, the housing environment with included enrichment, minimizes needed acclimation
times, as the housing environment is similar to the typical small rodent housing the animals are accustomed to,
thus maximizing the number of studies performed per unit time per cage, resulting in not only cost benefits, but
also significantly higher data throughput.
The Promethion System’s high temporal resolution and continuous, rapid data acquisition features allow an
animal’s interaction with each sensor to be recorded precisely in time and quantified in ways unique to that
sensor. The parameters monitored include food and water intake, activity (wheel and ambulatory running), body
weight, body mass, water loss, metabolic activity (O2 consumption and CO2 release), calorimetry, and RQ
(marker for fat reserve use and/or carbohydrate catabolism). The system’s software perfectly synchronizes all
data collected, leaving it to the investigator to determine which dataset interactions are most relevant to their
research question. In addition, time and locomotion budgets, circadian behavioral profiling, and behavioral
transition probability matrices can be produced as part of data analysis.
The availability of the System to Yale investigators will open a new “arm” of preliminary data for grant applications
and facilitiate completion of funded grant applications. Another benefit to the research community is the
experience of the Core staff in conducting whole body physiological studies. As shown in the application, Dr.
Diano and Dr. Kim have many years of experiences doing such studies, most of which have been supported by
the NIH. Both of them are committed to facilitating the use of the Core by Yale investigators. The Core will
ensure equal access to all Yale investigators interested in metabolic phenotyping. If capacity allows, service will
be available to external customers. Although there is currently such an instrument here at Yale it has recently
become inoperable and is no longer serviceable by the company.
In conlcusion, these sensitive and high-throughput analyses by the 16 state-of-the-art Sable Promethion
Metabolic Cages will introduce a highly valuable approach for developing a greater understanding of pathways
that regulate metabolism, and for developing therapies to target metabolic disorders.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9940157
- **Project number:** 1S10OD028588-01
- **Recipient organization:** YALE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Anton M Bennett
- **Activity code:** S10 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $493,258
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-06-25 → 2021-06-24

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9940157

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9940157, Yale Metabolic Phenotyping Core (1S10OD028588-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9940157. Licensed CC0.

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