The Animal Models of Diabetic Complications Consortium (AMDCC) and the Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping Centers (MMPC) are two multi-center initiatives funded by the NIH. During the current five year funding cycle, the AMDCC had the primary responsibility of developing and characterizing animal models that mimic human diabetic complications. The AMDCC consists of 8 animal engineering centers, 3 phenotyping cores and 1 coordinating and bioinformatics unit (CBU) with investigators from 14 separate institutions. Oversight of the consortium comes from both the NIH and an External Advisory Committee (EAC). My laboratory is the current CBU for the AMDCC and is responsible for organizing the activities of the consortium, including the administrative responsibilities as well as the development of the informatics infrastructure required to store, disseminate and analyze the data generated by the AMDCC. In contrast, the MMPCs were charged with providing the scientific community with standardized, high quality metabolic and physiologic phenotyping services for the mouse. The MMPC provides state-of-the-art technologies to investigators for a fee, with their services including characterization of mouse metabolism, blood composition (including hormones), energy balance, eating and exercise, organ function and morphology, physiology and histology. Officially, these two consortia had no interaction or coordination of activities with regard to their respective missions. As part of the renewal of these two consortia, the NIH has decided to integrate and coordinate their activities. In order to facilitate this interaction, one CBU will be responsible for creating and maintaining the administrative, scientific and informatics infrastructure necessary to organize and facilitate their operations. The goal of this proposal is to provide that infrastructure. We will build upon the success of the current AMDCC CBU infrastructure to provide both the AMDCC and MMPC with a robust and comprehensive service oriented solution that supports both the common and unique aspects of each entity. Specifically, we will: 1) Provide Support for the Administrative and Coordinating Activities; and 2) Create and Maintain the Informatics Infrastructure Necessary to Support the Activities of both Consortia.
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