Improving the housing conditions for lab rodents to enhance research accuracy
Official title: Promoting Rigor and Reproducibility in Rodent Models of Metabolic Disease through Thermoneutral Housing
Funded at Arkansas Children's Hospital Res Inst · NIH-10986907 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how to make the living conditions better for lab mice and rats so they feel less stressed, which will help scientists get more accurate results that can be useful for understanding human health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Arkansas Children's Hospital Res Inst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Little Rock, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $342,798 |
| NIH project number | 1R24OD037683-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10986907 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for benefiting from this research include children and young individuals with metabolic diseases who may be impacted by therapies developed from improved preclinical studies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with conditions unrelated to metabolic diseases or those who are not within the pediatric age range may not receive direct benefits from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on optimizing the housing conditions for laboratory rodents, which are crucial for preclinical studies that inform human health. By providing a thermoneutral environment, the study aims to reduce stress in rodents, thereby improving the reliability of data obtained from these animal models. The project will involve acquiring modern housing cabinets that maintain ideal temperatures for rodent welfare and research integrity. This approach is expected to enhance the translatability of findings from rodent studies to human applications.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more accurate preclinical data, ultimately improving the development of therapies for metabolic diseases.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has indicated that optimizing housing conditions for laboratory animals can significantly enhance the quality and reliability of preclinical data, suggesting a promising avenue for this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Arkansas Children's Hospital Res Inst
Little Rock, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Porter, Craig — Arkansas Children's Hospital Res Inst
- Study coordinator: Porter, Craig
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.