The Preclinical Models Core in the San Diego Digestive Diseases Research Center provides access to animal models of gastrointestinal and liver disease for preclinical studies and assists in characterizing disease activity. The Core provides resources in veterinary sciences and a technical infrastructure that enables the models to be studied comprehensively. The services include consultation on the selection and interpretation of the models of digestive diseases, ante-mortem imaging, and post-mortem examination, including the development and interpretation of scoring systems by veterinarians trained in comparative pathology. The Core is led by an experienced leader with strong track records in applying these models to basic and preclinical. As the Core Director, Tatiana Kisseleva, MD, PhD, provides extensive experience with models of liver disease. Furthermore, the Core interacts with, and directly complements, the Human Translational as well as the Microbiomics and Functional Genomics Cores by being able to relate the imaging results, biomarkers, and clinical data to specific outcomes in animal models and human disease.
To access these services, please contact Center: sddrc@health.ucsd.edu
Services Currently Available:
- Services in histopathology including tissue preparation, fixation, routine and specialized staining, state-of-the-art microscopy
- Gnotobiotic animal models
- Histology interpretation
- Consultation and training on the principles, experimental design, methods, and data analysis for various models and assays.
- Models of infectious and non-infectious forms of injury and inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract, toxic liver injury and fibrosis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and steatohepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, and liver cancer.
Services Available Upon Request:
- PET scanning, MRI scanning, X-ray, ultrasound, intestinal endoscopy
For consults or questions regarding obtaining services, Center members should email the Center at: sddrc@health.ucsd.edu