MS Studentship - Cochon - USA - le plus vite possible

Subject to final approval of funding, a 2-year studentship will be available within
USDA Livestock Behavior Research Unit, starting in August 2007 or January
2008.
The student will work on a National Institute of Health-funded project entitled
“Movement-responsive pen for simultaneous pharmacology studies in minipigs”,
which is a collaborative study between BioAnalytical Systems Inc., USDA-LBRU
and Purdue University. The student will be registered for an MS degree at
Purdue University, but will be embedded within the LBRU, supervised by Dr.
Jeremy Marchant-Forde.
The pen (the PigTurn™) is a unique system that has been developed to allow the
simultaneous collection of biofluids and behavior, by having the pen counterrotate
in the direction of any pig movement to prevent catheter blockage. The
current project will include elements of design relevant to the welfare of the
animal in the system, for which the student will be primarily responsible:
Aim 3: Animal Welfare Aspects
3.1 – Endocrine response
3.2 – Weight and nutrition
3.3 – Water intake monitor
3.4 – Enhance food delivery options
3.5 – Add additional capacity for water
3.6 – Urinary frequency and output
3.7 – Vocalization recording as additional behavioral parameter
3.8 – Enrichment options
Other elements that will undergo study include the addition of core body
temperature, ECG and blood pressure monitoring, to increase the scope of
physiological information that can be added to behavior. The student will be
expected to participate in these elements also and assist/learn surgical
techniques necessary for jugular catheterization.
For further details, please contact:
Dr. Jeremy Marchant-Forde – Jeremy.marchant-forde@ars.usda.gov