shared research equipment
Equipment Guidelines
- Any research equipment stored in DLAR is considered shared equipment, however, prior to use, authorization is required by the equipment owner and DLAR.
- Treat all DLAR and research equipment with respect and care. User's lab is responsible for any damage to the equipment and its repair/replacement cost.
- Some equipment may require hands-on training prior to use. See equipment list for more details.
Equipment List by Category
Behavioral & Activity
The equipment in this category requires hands-on training by the owner.
Coulbourn Habitest Apparatus
Link: Coulbourn Habitest
Description: Designed for tone associated foot shock stimuli. Comes with FreezeFrame software for automated animal movement analysis.
Designed for use with mice only.
Owner: Dr. Ipe Ninan
Nine-Hole Choice Box
Description: Used with behavioral test 5 Choice Serial Reaction Time Task (5-CSRTT). This measures the attention, impulsivity, and perseveration of the mouse.
Designed for use with mice only.
Owner: Dr. F. Scott Hall
Startle Response System
Description: The startle response system is the world’s most widely used startle reflex behavioral research system and the most successful measuring of startle habitation, pre-pulse inhibition, and Fear Potentiated Startle (FPS). Widely used to measure pre-attention deficit as sign of several psychological disorders like ADHD, schizophrenia, and depression.
Designed for use with mice only.
Owner: Dr. F. Scott Hall
Activity Meter
Description: Multi-channel activity monitor that supports a variety of sensor lengths and configurations. Up to 32 channels are supported providing both ambulatory and total counts for each channel.
Owner: Dr. F. Scott Hall
Rota Rod Rotamex
Description: Classic rotating rod enhanced with features that assist monitoring and recording animal performance. Up to four animals may be simultaneously tested for their ability to maintain themselves upright on a rotating rod. Speed and acceleration rate are programmable. An animal fall is detected by infrared photocells which cross the space just above the spindle. Once all the photocells lose sight of the animal, the time is recorded.
Owner: Dr. Zahoor Shah
T-Maze
Description: An enclosed apparatus in the form a t-shape. Used to assess the cognitive ability of mice.
Owner: Dr. Zahoor Shah
Radial Arm Maze
Description: An 8-arm maze used to investigate both short-term memory and long-term reference memory errors in mice.
Designed for use with mice only.
Owner: Dr. Zahoor Shah
Elevated Plus Maze
Description: This maze measures the attention, impulsivity, and perseveration of animal.
Owner: Dr. F. Scott Hall or Dr. David Kennedy
Light-Dark Box (L B D)
Description: The LDB apparatus has two compartments; a light compartment that is brightly lit and open and a dark compartment that is covered and dark. A door connects the two. The LDB is used to investigate unconditioned anxiety responses in rodents.
Owner: Dr. F. Scott Hall
Morris Water Maze
Description: A round warm water filled pool with a hidden platform used to assess special learning memory in mice.
Owner: Dr. Zahoor Shah
Forced Swim Test (F S T)
Description: The behavioral despair test or forced swimming test (FST), is used for evaluation of antidepressant drugs, antidepressant efficacy of new compounds, and experimental manipulations that are aimed at rendering or preventing depressive-like states.
Owner: Dr. F. Scott Hall
Treadmill Simplex
Description: A general purpose 4-lane animal exerciser utilizing single belt construction with dividing walls suspended over the tread surface. An electrical stimulus system option is composed shock grids, each with individual on/off switches. Stimulus intensity is adjustable and LED lamps indicate which stimulus grid is active. Smooth and continuous adjustment of speed in the range 3-100 m/m. The exercising belt is made with special material that facilitates the animals' grip and is easy to clean.
Owner: Lauren Koch
Imaging
The equipment in this category requires hands-on training by the owner.
Magnet N M R Minispec
Link: Minispec Details
Description: This equipment allows for a noninvasive measurement of lean and fat mass in mice which may be repeated as the animal ages.
Owner: Dr. Jennifer Hill
IVIS Spectrum In-Vivo Imaging System
Link: IVIS Spectrum Details
Description: Capture bioluminescent and fluorescent reporters across the blue to near infrared wavelength region. It also offers single-view 3D tomography for both fluorescent and bioluminescent reporters.
Owner: Dr. Andrea Kalinoski
GE Lunar PIXImus2: Bone Densitometer
Description: Provides bone mineral and body composition results from total body imaging. Uses a lower x-ray energy than that used for peripheral densitometry in order to achieve contrast in the extremely low-density bone. Excellent precision of BMD and %Fat. The standard total body focuses on the active bone area in the subcranial region.
Owner: Dr. Beata Lecka-Czernik
SCIREQ FlexiVent Ventilator
Link: flexiVent | SCIREQ
Description: Captures resistance and compliance measurements and details about the mechanical properties of conducting airways, terminal airways, and parenchyma. Applications: Asthma and Airway Hyperresponsiveness, Drug Development, Phenotyping and Genetic Studies, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Allergic Rhinitis, Preclinical Thoracic Imaging, Fundamental Respiratory Mechanics Research, Cardiopulmonary
Owner: Dr. Sailaja Paruchuri
Siemens Acuson Sequoia C512 Ultrasound
Link: Siemens Ultrasound Details
Description: Unparalleled imaging capacity easily and seamlessly determines, calculates, and adapts in real-time to a patient’s individual acoustic properties. Offering high image quality and improved workflow for a range of patient types and applications.
Owner: Dr. Andrea Kalinoski
KUBTEC® Cabinet X-ray
Link: KUBTEC XPERT® 80 Specimen Radiography System
Description: Stand alone unit that provides high-resolution X‑ray images for pathology and creates optical images of your specimen for multiple applications including bone mineral density/body composition and small animal imaging.
Owner: Dr. Xiaohong Li
C.L.A.M.S. Systems
The equipment in this category requires hands-on training by the owner.
Rat C.L.A.M.S.
Description: The system monitors oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations by volume at the inlet and outlet ports of a chamber, canopy, tent, or mask through which a known flow of air is being forcibly ventilated.
Owner: Dr. Andrea Kalinoski
Mouse C.L.A.M.S.
Description: The system monitors oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations by volume at the inlet and outlet ports of a chamber, canopy, tent, or mask through which a known flow of air is being forcibly ventilated.
Owner: Dr. Beata Lecka-Czernik
Top of Equipment List
Metabolic Units
Requests for each unit must be submitted at least 24 hours in advance, excluding weekends
and holidays. All units require 2 business days for cleaning. Please plan accordingly.
Reservation Instructions (in Outlook):
- Select the appropriate calendar:
- Room - DLAR HEB Mouse Metabolic
- Room - DLAR HEB SS Rat Metabolic
- Room - DLAR HEB Poly Rat Metabolic
- Enter the date/time of the request.
- In the title you must include the # of cages requested and the room # for the unit.
- Reservations are approved by the Assistant Director.
- Unit will be placed in the requested room # by DLAR staff.
Rat Metabolic Unit - Stainless Steel
Description: Stainless steel metabolic system ach cage is equipped with a funneled metabolism pan. By design, feces is kept separated from the urine which flows into a receptacle (i.e., graduated cylinder) placed under each pan. There is also a food and water runoff pans to keep from mixing with the urine specimen.
Capacity: 36 individual rats
Owner: DLAR
Rat Metabolic Unit - Polycarbonate
Description: Each individual stand-alone unit provides separation of feces and urine through the special design of the funnel and of the separation cone. Faces and urine are collected separately in collection tubes attached at the bottom of each unit. Easy-remove feeder, water bottle, and collection tubes to minimize disturbance of the test animals.
Capacity: 6 individual rats
Owner: DLAR
Mouse Metabolic Unit - Polycarbonate
Description: Funnel and cone design effectively separates feces and urine into tubes outside the cage for untainted and reliable samples. All parts below the cage floor are removable without disturbing the animals including the feces and urine collection tubes.
Capacity: 12 individual mice. Additional stand-alone units available upon request.
Owner: DLAR
B.P. Measurements
The equipment in this category requires hands-on training by the owner.
PhysioTel HD and PhysioTel Hardware
Description: Measures blood pressure with the assistance of an implanted transmitter. DSI's PhysioTel™ implants are designed for acquiring data from conscious, freely moving laboratory animals, providing stress-free data collection while enhancing animal welfare.
Owner:
- Rats: Dr. Bina Joe
- Mice: Wissam Abou-Alaiwi
CODA® Tail-Cuff Blood Pressure System
Link: External link to the CODA System Details
Description: The CODA® mouse and rat tail-cuff system accurately measures the blood pressure of a single mouse or rat. In all, the CODA® monitor measures six blood pressure parameters: systolic, diastolic, and mean BP, heart rate, tail blood volume and blood flow.
Owner:
- Rats: Dr. Bina Joe or Dr. David Kennedy
- Mice: Wissam Abou-Alaiwi
Stereotaxic Equipment
The equipment in this category requires hands-on training by the owner.
Stereotaxic Instrument
Description: Single manipulator models read from the open end of the U. Large, easy-to-read numerals on scale. Precise alignment to 0.1mm resolution. Triple-start lead screws for fastest positioning possible. Absolute lock at 90°. Universal joint allows scientist to probe in either anterior-posterior or lateral-medial planes. Manipulator. Arm may be swiveled out of the way for convenience in installing animal, or for performing a procedure, and then reliably returned to the same point.
Owner: Dr. Zahoor Shah
Neurostar Robotic Stereotaxic Instrument
Link: Neurostar Details
Description: Using the Robot Stereotaxic, you can focus on the experiment without having to manipulate the stereotaxic. It allows motorized, computer-controlled positioning of the probe. Atlas integration and intuitive movement control enables high accuracy, high-throughput electrophysiology, and stereotaxic injections.
- Computer Control
- Atlas Integration
- Head Tilt Correction
- Avoids Human Errors
- Define/Store Targets
- Intuitive Navigation
- Angle Adjustment
- Ultra-Precise
- Time Saving
- High Throughput
Owner: Dr. Jennifer Hill
Top of Equipment List
Blood & Urine Analysis
The equipment in this category requires hands-on training by the owner.
Vetscan UA
Link: Vetscan Urinalysis
Description: The VETSCAN UA is an easy-to-use urine chemistry analyzer that automates urinalysis test strip reading, providing reliable veterinary urine chemistries that include results for urine protein:creatinine (UPC) ratio and microalbumin.
Owner: Dr. Lauren Koch
Vetscan HM5 Five-Part Differential
Link: Vetscan HM5
Description: The VETSCAN HM5 is a fully automated, five-part differential hematology analyzer displaying a comprehensive 22-parameter complete blood count (CBC) with cellular histograms.
Owner: DLAR
Vetscan VS2
Link: Vetscan VS2
Description: The VETSCAN VS2 is a state-of-the-art chemistry, electrolyte, immunoassay, and blood gas analyzer that delivers uncompromising accuracy from just two drops of whole blood, serum, or plasma.
Owner: DLAR
Mobile Anesthesia System
Requests for each unit must be submitted at least 24 hours in advance, excluding weekends
and holidays.
Mobile Anesthesia System
Description: Mobile anesthesia system suitable for mice, rats, and other small animals under 10 lbs. Includes all essential components for effective anesthesia delivery. Isoflurane not included. 2 units available upon request.
Reservation Instructions (in Outlook):
- Selecting the appropriate calendar: ‘Room - DLAR HEB Portable Isoflurane System #1’ or ‘Room - DLAR HEB Portable Isoflurane System #2’
- Enter the date/time of the request
- In the title, include the name of your lab and a contact #
- Reservations are approved by the clinical staff.
- Pick up your unit at the vet tech office unless other arrangements have been made.
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Miscellaneous
The equipment in this category requires hands-on training by the owner.
Automated Milker
Link: Automated Milker
Description: Ideal for the analysis of breast milk composition. Automated milker provides researchers the ability to collect rat/mouse milk directly from the teat. Collects milk from lactating mothers by alternating negative and atmospheric pressures through two solenoid valves and a vacuum pump attached to a microcomputer.
Owner: Dr. Bina Joe