The Animal Core plays a central role in supporting the use of the rat and mouse intragastric ethanol infusion models (IEI models) by the Center and non-Center member investigators. The Core is also a focal point for unification and active collaborations of the Center investigators. The IEI models are pivotal for deletion and addition analyses and cell-type specific research for a pursuit for the Center's research theme: elucidation of priming and sensitizing mechanisms for alcoholic liver and pancreatic diseases (ALPD). The IEI model using knockout and transgenic mice, in particular, promotes genetic deletion and addition analysis to test the importance of a gene of interest in the genesis and evolution of ALPD. The Core annually provides nearly 400 rodents (rats and mice), of which 300 animals are served as the IEI models. Presently, the Core supports 8-10 Center members and 2-4 outside investigators per year all pursuing the Center's theme. The services are rendered according to the guideline for the prioritization as follows: 1) the Center's research project and pilot project investigators; 2) the Center members withindependent NIAAA funding; 3) NIAAA-funded outside investigators; 4) outside investigators without NIAAA funding. The Core anticipates an increasing pool of the outside investigators to be served by the charge-back mechanism. The Core promotes collaborations and interactions among the Center and non-Center investigators via the shared use of animals and samples as well as application of complementary scientific expertise to the models. The Core also trains the personnel from other NIAAA-funded laboratories for the IEI models. In summary, the Core represents the sole national resource for the IEI models and training for the models available to both the Center investigators and alcohol researchers across the country in support of deletionand addition analyses and cell-type specific research on ALPD.
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