the problem
A wide variety of biomedical research depends on animal models derived from rodent behavioral and neurological experiments. Animal-based studies can predict drug effects, develop alternative therapeutics for the treatment of human diseases, hone in on higher order cognitive and learning phenomena, and much more. While these animal models are a powerful tool, they are extremely difficult to duplicate - both between laboratories and within labs themselves. Studies considering the reproducibility of rodent behavioral studies show that the experimenter who handles the rodent introduces variability that cannot be eliminated by physiological methods or by standardizing the genetic backgrounds of the rodents. This interaction between the rodent and the handler occurs most often when the rodent is traveling between the training area and the home cage. Additionally, it is a drain on the time and resources of the handlers of these studies.
the Solution
We propose to make an automated training device that will minimize contact between the researcher and the rodent during training to mitigate the issues that arise due to contact. This device, called Rodent Automated Training (RAT) will include both the home cage area and the training area, eliminating the need for movement between two environments. Additionally, training will be automated so that the researcher does not have to come in contact between the rodent during training.
"We should have a blog", "Huh, this really is a good idea!", "These tinfoil hats do nothing"
"I don't have all the answers", "I'm going to retire back to my headquarters. No, my lair"
"I don't have all the answers", "I'm going to retire back to my headquarters. No, my lair"
- SAMUEL BRUNWASSER (CLIENT)