Discuss your study
Send a brief outline of your research question, mouse model or sample type, proposed groups and timing. Ask which platforms can support the work.
Agree access and training
Confirm equipment suitability, training needs, availability and applicable charges with the team. Access arrangements depend on the platform and study.
Arrange your booking
Agree study dates once training, access and relevant approvals are in place. The team provides the booking instructions and operational procedures.
What to include in your enquiry
- Research question and primary outcome
- Proposed groups, numbers and measurement time points
- Preferred dates and training requirements
What to plan before starting
- Housing conditions, acclimatisation and handling
- Fasting and time of day, where relevant
- Randomisation, blinding and measurement order
- Sample size, exclusion criteria and analysis
Important: Procedures and approvals
Animal work requires the relevant Home Office approved Project and Personal Licences, alongside local training approvals. Arrange training with the team before using equipment; the papers below complement the operational guidance provided during training.
Recommended reading
Nature Metabolism
2025
A consensus guide to preclinical indirect calorimetry experiments
Experimental design, reporting and analysis of energy expenditure, including comparisons between groups that differ in body size.
Lab Animal
2025
Revisited guidelines for metabolic tolerance tests in mice
Practical choices and confounding factors in glucose and insulin tolerance testing.
Nature Metabolism
2021
GTTs and ITTs in mice: simple tests, complex answers
Test design, baseline glucose and what tolerance tests can tell us about insulin sensitivity.
Acknowledging the facility
Use the full name, Edinburgh Metabolic Phenotyping Facility, University of Edinburgh, when acknowledging facility support. Discuss individual contributions and authorship with the team, and let us know when your work is published.