# Body Composition, Thermoregulation, and Food Intake Behavior Core

> **NIH NIH U2C** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS · 2020 · $173,650

## Abstract

CORE D: BODY COMPOSITION, THERMOREGULATION, AND FOOD INTAKE BEHAVIOR CORE
ABSTRACT (CORE D)
Obesity is the result of an inability to maintain energy balance, and changes in energy balance can also be
important contributing factors in the etiology of diabetes and other metabolic diseases. A major goal of Core D
(Body Composition, Thermoregulation, and Food Intake Behavior) is to provide investigators with the services
necessary to accurately measure the major components of energy balance (energy intake, energy expenditure,
body composition, nutrient digestibility) in their mouse models. Core D also provides tests that allow
investigators to examine physiological factors that may influence food intake or energy expenditure. In
particular, our research team offers services to investigate the role the gut microbiota and epithelial function
play in obesity and metabolic disease. The Core D investigators have complementary expertise in energy
metabolism, gastrointestinal physiology and gut microbiota and provide clients with assistance in all steps of
the research process, from designing experiments to analyzing and interpreting data. In addition to offering
standard services in our catalog, Core D also works with investigators to design custom tests or develop new
tests to meet their research needs. Based on requests from investigators, we have developed services to
determine thermoneutral zone and investigate energy expenditure in response to acute cold or heat stress.
We also provide custom, high resolution energy expenditure measurements required to link energy
expenditure to specific events (burst of activity, meal consumption, etc.) and accurately determine physical
activity energy expenditure, resting energy expenditure and thermic effect of feeding. Core D is currently
developing transcriptomic and metabolomic approaches which will expand our microbiota services and provide
indicators of microbial function, and we have recently added measures of intestinal barrier function to our
catalog of services. Core D will continue to provide our clients with in-depth physiological measurements
relevant to body weight regulation while also developing new tests to meet the evolving needs of the research
community.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9972934
- **Project number:** 5U2CDK092993-10
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS
- **Principal Investigator:** JON J. RAMSEY
- **Activity code:** U2C (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $173,650
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** — → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9972934

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9972934, Body Composition, Thermoregulation, and Food Intake Behavior Core (5U2CDK092993-10). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9972934. Licensed CC0.

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