# Animal Model Core

> **NIH NIH P20** · MIRIAM HOSPITAL · 2020 · $304,160

## Abstract

Project Summary: Animal Models Core 
Studies of antibiotic tolerance and of new therapies to treat antibiotic-resistant pathogens must, at some point, 
be evaluated in mammalian models of infection. These pre-clinical assessments are a fundamental step to 
determining whether treatments might be translated to human studies. Moreover, the complexities of the 
mammalian immune response can be queried to gain insight into the basic pathobiology of infections and host 
defenses. The Animal Models Core of the Center for Antimicrobial Resistance and Therapeutic Discovery 
(CARTD) will enable pre-clinical studies in mice to facilitate rapid, high-quality data acquisition. The Core will 
provide essential input, along with that from our biostatistics expert, to aid in experimental design that 
enhances the robustness of the results. The Core Director will train the Junior Investigators and assist them in 
obtaining the institutional approvals necessary to conduct animal experiments. The Core will maintain a 
portfolio of techniques directly related to the experimental objectives of the research projects, as well as 
expand the repertoire to diversify the research projects and to recruit investigators from beyond the CARTD. 
The Core’s design includes blinding of treatment groups so that observers make unbiased assessments of the 
animals throughout the experiment. The Core’s staff will conduct experiments in conjunction with the 
laboratories of the research and pilot projects. Importantly, the Core will be responsible for managing the new 
in vivo imaging system recently procured by our institution. This imaging system enhances the robustness and 
reproducibility of the studies by longitudinal follow-up of individual animals while reducing the overall numbers 
of animals that are required in any given experiment. The Animal Models Core’s functions are defined by the 
following specific aims: 1. To provide consultation and assistance in planning experimental design, strain 
selection, and outcomes analysis. 2. To conduct infection and treatment experiments in collaboration with 
investigators from the Junior Investigator and Pilot Project research programs, as well as outside researchers. 
3. To supervise, schedule, maintain, and operate the PerkinElmer IVIS Lumina III in vivo imaging system.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9999628
- **Project number:** 5P20GM121344-03
- **Recipient organization:** MIRIAM HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Gerard J Nau
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $304,160
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-08-01 → 2023-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9999628

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9999628, Animal Model Core (5P20GM121344-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9999628. Licensed CC0.

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