Preclinical Behavioral Phenotyping Core

Overview of Services

History
The Pre-Clinical Behavioral Phenotyping Core originated over 20 years ago as a component of the UNC Carolina Institute for Neurodevelopmental  Disabilities (CIND) Preclinical Core, established under the UNC Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center (IDDRC) to give investigators across campus access to standardized, validated behavioral testing for mouse models of human disorders. The core has operated within the Division of Comparative Medicine's vivarium space since its founding, and has historically received IDDRC/NICHD support that has allowed it to offer subsidized rates to IDDRC-affiliated investigators.

About Us
The Pre-Clinical Behavioral Phenotyping Core provides UNC investigators with expert behavioral testing services spanning motor function, sensory function, anxiety- and depression-related behavior, social behavior, cognitive function, and sleep phenotyping. The core is directed by faculty PI Jose Rodriguez and is staffed by experienced research scientists — including Viktoriya Nikolova and Julia Lord — who can advise on behavioral studies paradigms and conduct testing to rigorous, reproducible standards in compliance with regulatory agencies and animal welfare policies. In addition to testing services, the core offers consultation on experimental design and data interpretation, assists in development of behavior testing section of grant proposals, and provides training for students, postdocs, and lab personnel in behavioral testing methodology.

Mission Statement
The mission of the Pre-Clinical Behavioral Phenotyping Core is to provide UNC investigators and the broader scientific community with reliable, standardized, and scientifically rigorous behavioral phenotyping services for mouse models of human diseases, enabling labs to obtain high-quality pre-clinical data without the burden of building in-house testing infrastructure, expertise, or equipment. By centralizing this capability, the core supports reproducible research, reduces duplicated effort across campus, and helps investigators generate the behavioral data needed to advance their scientific programs.

Explanation of Services
The Pre-Clinical Behavioral Phenotyping Core offers standardized, validated behavioral assays for mouse models, billed by complexity tier, plus supporting hourly services. Tests are grouped into tiers based on technical complexity, degree of manual handling/scoring required, and staff time burden.

Tier 1 — High Complexity
Frequent handling, automated data acquisition, continuous tester presence, multi-day protocols.

Morris Water Maze (Visual, Hidden, Reversal — billed per phase)
Barnes Maze (Habituation, Hidden, Reversal — billed per phase)
Fear Conditioning (3-day protocol, flat base charge + add-ons for extra variants)
Novel Object Recognition Test (NORT)
Novel Object Location Test (NOLT)
Forced Swim Test

Tier 2 — Moderate Complexity
Semi-automatic acquisition or manual scoring with moderate handling demands.

Open Field Test (Activity)
Rotarod
Social Approach
Marble Burying
Acoustic Startle Response / Prepulse Inhibition (ASR/PPI)
Grip Strength
Elevated Plus Maze
Y-Maze

Tier 3 — Low Complexity
Brief, fully manual or minimally automated tests.

Wire Hang
Light/Dark Box
Hot Plate
Olfactory Test

Sleep Monitoring
Non-invasive, longitudinal sleep/wake assessment and actigraphy via pressure-sensitive piezoelectric home-cage recording. 10-day cohorts, up to 32 mice, fully automated data collection.

Consultation & Training
Hourly-billed experimental design consultation, protocol selection guidance, and hands-on equipment/procedure training.

Data Analysis
Hourly-billed data cleanup and full statistical/analytical support beyond raw data delivery.

Communication
Hourly-billed cohort scheduling, logistics, and correspondence outside formal consultation.

Leadership

Location and hours of operation

Links and Resources

https://www.med.unc.edu/cidd/research/for-researchers/mouse-behavioral-phenotyping-laboratory/

Contacts