Abstract: We are requesting funds through the Shared Equipment Evaluation Program (ShEEP) under the Research Equipment Management program offered by the Office of Research and Development for purchase of an 8 cage mouse and an 8 cage rat Promethion continuous cage metabolic phenotyping systems (Sable Systems, Las Vegas NV,USA) to expand upon our current Promethion mouse and rat systems. By utilizing continuous air-flow sampling, which allows for rapid metabolic measurements every second for all cages simultaneously, we are able to collect synchronous metabolic and behavioral (movement, food intake, water intake ,wheel running activity) measures. In addition, the new upgraded systems will allow for an Environmental Sensor Array to continuously monitor changes in each of the housing room's environment (temperature, noise, light, etc). The equipment will be housed within the Minneapolis VAHCS Research Services Veterinary Medical Unit. The additional systems will allow for the study of more animals simultaneously, making it possible to complete control and test paradigms more quickly, and reducing variability between control and test groups. This in turn will allow greater throughput of all users' experimental designs, increasing the productivity of the Minneapolis VAHCS investigators.The use of this equipment will compliment an existing inventory of multiuser based instruments with the end goal of increasing the efficiency of and supporting translational VA research. Dr. Catherine Kotz will oversee the administration and usage of the equipment under the full support of Minneapolis VAHCS Director, Mr. Patrick J. Kelly and the Research & Development Committee Chair, Dr. Ronald Bach. The major and minor user groups for this equipment span multiple VA research disciplines and represents both basic and translational research in areas such as: aging, cardiovascular, cancer, neuroscience, stem cell therapies and obesity. The VA funded users combined will be used at least 75% of the instrument capacity. The minor users group will occupy between 25%-30% of instrument capacity. The ability for Minneapolis VAHCS to continue to remain one of the largest and most active research programs in the VAHCS depends on the ability of its investigators to gain access to the newest generation of high-sensitivity, high-resolution instruments. The acquisition of the Promethion continuous cage metabolic phenotyping systems requested would accelerate and enhance the rate at which researchers from multiple disciplines could acquire, analyze, display, and understand data with the long-term goal of benefiting the unique health care needs of US Veterans. This not only benefits the progress of VAHCS research in general but it would benefit the health care of all Americans.

Narrative: We are seeking funds for the acquisition of Promethion continuous cage metabolic phenotyping systems for mice and rats (Sable Systems International, Las Vegas NV, USA). This state-of-the art equipment allows for the synchronous examination of metabolic and behavioral information. This equipment would enhance the experimental throughput of our existing Promethion systems, allowing for more users of various research disciplines, and more definitive study designs incorporating more extensive test paradigms and appropriate controls. The acquisition of this equipment would accelerate and enhance the rate at which researchers from multiple disciplines could acquire, analyze, display, and understand data with the long-term goal of benefiting the unique health care needs of US Veterans. This not only benefits the progress of VAHCS research in general but it would benefit the health care of all Americans.