Establishing research partnership in novel rodent home-cage monitoring techniques for improved translational neuroscience research

Animal models of neurodegenerative/neuropsychiatric disease require extensive behavioural testing to support translational drug development. However, there are limitations associated with some conventional behavioural methods, including high sensitivity to environmental factors and stress, requirement for food/water deprivation, and narrow time windows which limit data collection. This has led to concerns about reproducibility of research findings, as well as an area to improve rodent welfare. Rodent home-cage monitoring technology has recently been identified as a valuable tool that addresses these limitations. I will go to the University of Helsinki to learn about these home cage monitoring methods and how they can be integrated with existing research projects.