RAW Truth 2: Shift Happens
Over 95% of the animals involved in biomedical research are mice. These animals are incredibly important models for human disease because 85% of the genes that drive biological function in people and mice are identical, so genetic contributions to human disease can be strongly inferred by manipulating mouse genes. Large litters and short lifespans (about 2 years) also give us a unique opportunity to study disease and age progression across hundreds of mice in a single study. It's hard to overstate the value of research mice for understanding health and disease in people and other animals, but there are variables lurking within them that can throw study findings into a tailspin if we aren't watching. What are these "reproducibility" snatchers? And how can we manage them to drive the strongest science possible? Todd Little, an expert in mouse models of human disease, will give us the RAW Truth today - on GetReal!
Genetic backgrounds in mice affect research findings and reproducibility.
The importance of genetic background - The Jackson Laboratory
Verify mouse strains and reset - quickly and affordably!
Gut microbiome: health and disease
Mouse microbiomes affect research findings and reproducibility.
Mouse microbes may make scientific studies harder to replicate
The gut microbiome of laboratory mice: considerations and best practices for translational research
The Importance of Microbiome Characterization in Research Reproducibility