Animal Models
We provide high-quality outbred, inbred, disease, germ-free, knockout, and immunodeficient rats, mice, Syrian hamsters, guinea pigs and zebra fish for biomedical research. We have the following animal models:
Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
We provide New Zealand Rabbits suitable for animal research. The New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits are established animal models accepted by the FDA for studies of lipid metabolism, eye research, development of treatments for infectious diseases such as HIV and tuberculosis, osteoarthritis research, cardiovascular disease, lipid metabolism, the development of anticoagulants, testing of bone implants, and Alzheimer’s Disease.
We also provide the Chinchilla bastard rabbit which is a model organism for opthalmology research.
Lab Mice (Mus musculus)
The laboratory mice is the most used animal in medical reearch. Laboratory mice have found wide use in cancer research where they are used to study tumor development, progression, and response to treatment. Researchers can induce specific types of cancer in mice or use genetically modified mice that spontaneously develop tumors. These models help scientists understand the molecular mechanisms driving cancer growth and metastasis, as well as test novel anticancer drugs and therapies. In neuroscience, mice are used to nderstand neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and autism spectrum disorders.
Mice are also used in drug development and testing to evaluate the safety and efficacy of new drugs, assess their pharmacokinetics, and determine appropriate dosages. These studies help identify promising drug candidates and provide valuable data for subsequent clinical trials.
Mice share approximately 95% of their genes with humans, making them an excellent model organism for studying genetic diseases and traits and in toxicology studies. Mice have a well-characterized immune system that closely resembles that of humans. They are used to study immune responses to infections, autoimmune diseases, and the development of vaccines.
We provide more than 80 different types of mice for use in biomedical research.
Hartley Guinea Pig (Cavia porcellus)
We provide Hartley guinea pigs for research purposes. Hartley guinea pigs are suitable for general research.
Syrian Hamster (Mesocricetus auratus)
We provide high quality Syrian Hamster breeds suitable for research on SARS-CoV-2, carcinogenicity studies, behavioural studies, toxicity studies, infectious disease studies, and general research.
Lab Rats (Rattus norvegicus)
The laboratory rat has been used in medical research for more than 150 years and is the animal model of choice for research on complex human diseases, behavior and physiology. Rats have found wide use in cardiovascular medicine, wound healing, cancer, motion sickness, diabetes, behavioral studies, neural regeneration, vaccine development, antibody production, disease modelling, toxicity testing, and transplantation research. They have also been used to develop drugs, with wide applications in toxicity and pharmacokinetic studies.
Rats have made invaluable contributions to cardiovascular medicine, neural regeneration, wound healing, diabetes, transplantation, behavioural studies and space motion sickness research. Rats have also been widely used to test drug efficacy and safety. Improved models in all these areas of research should result from our new knowledge of the rat genome.
We provide more than 30 different types of rats for use in biomedical research.
Zebrafish (Danio rerio)
The zebrafish is an excellent in vivo model that’s revolutininizng medical research and driving scientific breakthroughs in drug toxicology, neurophysiology, and disease biology.
Vaccines development
Zebrafish can also be utilized in vaccine development studies. Researchers can assess the protective efficacy of candidate vaccines by immunizing zebrafish and subsequently challenging them with pathogens. The transparent nature of zebrafish embryos allows for the visualization of immune cell recruitment, antibody production, and pathogen clearance following vaccination. This information can aid in the design and optimization of vaccines against infectious diseases.
Drug development and screening
Zebrafish have been increasingly used in drug discovery and screening for infectious diseases. Small molecules or compounds can be tested for their efficacy in treating infections by exposing zebrafish larvae or adults to pathogens and then treating them with potential drugs. High-throughput screening approaches using automated imaging systems have been developed to assess the effects of large compound libraries on pathogen growth or host survival. Zebrafish models have been successfully employed in identifying novel antimicrobial agents and evaluating drug toxicity.
Immune system study-The zebrafish immune system shares many similarities with mammals, including the presence of innate and adaptive immune components. Studying zebrafish immune responses to infections can provide insights into the fundamental mechanisms underlying host defense against pathogens. Zebrafish mutants or transgenic lines with altered immune functions can be generated using genetic engineering techniques, allowing researchers to investigate specific immune pathways or genes involved in infection outcomes.
Host pathogen interaction-Zebrafish provides a unique opportunity to study the interactions between hosts and pathogens at both the cellular and molecular levels. The transparency of zebrafish embryos allows for real-time visualization of infection processes, such as pathogen entry, dissemination, and immune responses. Fluorescently labeled pathogens or immune cells can be used to track host movement and behavior. This enables the observation of dynamic processes like bacterial invasion, replication, and clearance.
Genetics
The genetic tractability of zebrafish enables researchers to perform large-scale genetic screens to identify host factors involved in susceptibility or resistance to infections. By using mutagenesis techniques or CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, specific genes can be disrupted or modified, and the resulting phenotypes can be assessed for their impact on infection outcomes.