Metabolic Core

About the Energy Balance Core

Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism

Two mice in a labThe BIDMC Metabolic Core exists to provide BIDMC, Harvard Medical School and area scientific community with access to cutting-edge resources for the measurement and analysis of metabolism in mice. Learn more about the Energy Balance Core detailed services.

The Core provides an extensive and growing variety of services to measure a range of metabolic parameters in mice, including: oxygen consumption (VO2); carbon dioxide production (VCO2); respiratory exchange ratios (RER); food consumption; locomotor activity levels; core body temperature and heart rate; body composition; heat lost due to thermal radiation; and food metabolism efficiency.

The BIDMC Metabolic Core is supported by the Harvard Digestive Diseases Center (HDDC), an NIH-funded Center that serves a broad community of scientists conducting basic and translational research relevant to the gastrointestinal tract. Within the HDDC, the BIDMC Metabolic Core forms the Metabolic Unit within HDDC Core D: Gnotobiotic Mice, Microbiology and Metagenomics.

The BIDMC Metabolic Core offers a full suite of services for the analysis of mouse metabolism. The core’s Columbus Instruments Comprehensive Lab Animal Monitoring System (CLAMS) and Sable Systems Promethion allow for simultaneous measurement of key metabolic parameters in mice. These systems have the ability to record data simultaneously with Starr Telemetry and DSI probes (body temperature, heart rate, or constant glucose monitoring). The metabolic cages are complemented by EchoMRI Body Composition Analyzers for the precise measurement of body composition, a thermal imaging system for the measurement of heat lost due to thermal radiation (FLIR Camera), and oxygen bomb calorimetry (Parr Instruments) for the assessment of food metabolism efficiency in mice.

The Core is directed by Dr. Alexander Banks (BIDMC Endocrinology Division).