Dr. Jason K. Kim, Director

Welcome to the National Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping Center!

The National Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping Center (MMPC) at UMass is a National Institutes of Health-sponsored resource (NIH Grant 5U2C-DK093000) that provides an array of sophisticated research tools to the global scientific community for the purpose of investigating mouse models of human diseases with particular focus on diabetes, obesity, and diabetic complications. The mission of the UMass MMPC is to advance medical and biological research by offering comprehensive, standardized, and high-quality experimental testing services to the academic and industry scientists. The UMass MMPC is composed of multidisciplinary group of investigators and leading scientists with state-of-the-art technologies at the UMass Medical School and consists of six complementary Phenotyping Cores. The collective goal of our research program is to find a cure for diabetes and improve human health.

1. Metabolism Core performs elegant, physiological, and non-invasive metabolic experiments to assess insulin sensitivity hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp & GTT/ITT), glucose/lipid/protein metabolism using labeled metabolites, body composition using ¹H-MRS, energy balance (food/water intake, energy expenditure, physical activity) at varying temperature and light/dark cycle using TSE Metabolic Cage System with Environmental Chamber, and exercise capacity using treadmill in mice. The Core also conducts comprehensive drug trial studies for PK/PD, efficacy, and toxicity analysis with academic and pharmaceutical institutions.

2. Analytical Core utilizes Luminex, Cobas Clinical Chemistry Analyzer, and molecular experiments to perform a high-throughput, multiplexed analysis of serum/tissue/urine levels of hormones, cytokines, chemokines, electrolytes, and metabolites, liver/kidney/thyroid function panels, and metabolic/inflammatory signaling pathways. Samples can be directly sent to the Core or obtained from mice by the Core.

3. Islet Core conducts sophisticated in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro analysis of insulin secretion, islet function/structure, and pancreatic function using hyperglycemic clamp, perifusion, and molecular experiments in mice. The Core also performs histological and morphological analysis with islet isolation.

4. Cardiovascular and Surgical Models Core applies state-of-the art high-frequency and high-resolution digital imaging platforms for echocardiography, to non-invasively assess cardiac function and structure in mice.  The Core also measures ECG/blood pressure and vascular/endothelial function, Moor Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging, volumetric liver imaging of preclinical NASH models and conducts elegant micro-surgery procedures, generates mouse models of cardiovascular and peripheral vascular diseases.
   
   

5. Microbiome Core provides expert knowledge and metagenomics 16S rRNA NextGen sequencing tools for state-of-the-art analysis of gut microbiota to investigate their role in altered energy balance and metabolism in mice. The Core also offers Fecal Microbiota Transplant (FMT) and antibiotic treatment procedures to facilitate alterations in gut microbiota population.

6. The Humanized Mouse Cell Transplantation and Assessment Core offers unique “humanized” mice engrafted with functional human cells/tissues to conduct clinically relevant in vivo experiments of human cells, tissues, and immune system. The Core also provides expert and standardized techniques to assess in vivo function of transplanted human islets and stem cell-derived beta-cells in immunodeficient mice.