Week 3

Hi! Here’s a little bit about my week:

I began to settle into a routine during week three and began understanding more about the mice and their innate behaviors compared to those that they exhibit in captivity. The BALB/c mice are not typically extremely aggressive mice strains and fall about half way on a scale of general aggression. However, the mice are shipped to the vivarium in crates where they live until they were rehoused with their new cage mates. This explains for the difference between “milder” cages in which fewer behaviors were notes versus the most aggressive cages that were ripping each other apart in the fight for dominance. 

This week we began to analyze some of the Day 2 data as it had all been collected early in the week. Through some analysis, our data strongly, strongly supported the use of enrichment devices to reduce the prevalence and severity of aggressive and violent behaviors inside the animal cages. However, without the ability to compare the results to the control days (Day 1) and the day in which hierarchies had already formed (Day 7) the data were still inconclusive, yet very promising. 

I got the opportunity to do another really cool thing this week! One of the researchers in the lab was conducting rat surgeries in the vivarium and I was able to watch. Although I was not familiar with the project she was working on, watching the surgery gave me a different aspect of animal research that I had not yet been exposed to. 

I also assisted in completing a WES plate with Bret today. Although I was mainly watching I learned a lot about the process and the very specific steps required to get an accurate and meaningful reading. 

See you next week!

Tasha

First successful WES plate!