Preclinical Testing Services

The Preclinical Addiction Research Consortium (PARC) offers specialized animal model testing services to support small businesses and pharmaceutical companies in the development of treatments for drug overdose and substance use disorders.

We offer a range of licensing alternatives, including exclusive, non-exclusive, and other limited licenses, including IP protection with laboratory service agreements, depending on the circumstances and industry sector.

Consultation and Study Design

PARC provides expert guidance in designing preclinical studies, ensuring methodological rigor and translational relevance.

Behaviorally & Genetically Characterized Biological Samples

The consortium maintains a biobank of biological samples from preclinical studies with full behavioral (addiction-like behaviors) and genetic (whole-genome sequencing) characterization, facilitating biomarker discovery and translational research

Proof-of-Efficacy Studies

PARC conducts rigorous assessments to determine the effectiveness of novel compounds on cognition, addiction, anxiety, depression, stress, eating, and circadian cycle, utilizing validated animal models to provide translational insights.

Blood Drug Level Analysis

PARC performs pharmacokinetic studies to measure drug concentrations in biological matrices, informing dosing regimens and therapeutic windows.

Biosensor Integration

The consortium uses wearable biosensors to continuously monitor physiological parameters such as heart rate and activity levels, enhancing the understanding of drug effects in real-time.

Self-Administration Studies

PARC offers operant operant models where animals self-administer any drugs (including but not limited to alcohol, nicotine, THC, cocaine, opioids) using oral, intravenous, or inhalation self-administration models, serving as a gold standard for evaluating the reinforcing properties of drugs and potential treatments.

Addiction Relapse Model

PARC utilizes reinstatement paradigms and non-operant craving measures using markerless pose estimation to study craving and relapse mechanisms, providing insights into the efficacy of interventions aimed at preventing relapse.

Withdrawal Symptom Model

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The consortium assesses withdrawal-induced somatic signs and negative affective states, including body shakes, diarrhea, eye blinks, grooming, teeth chattering, ultrasonic vocalization, body temperature, seizure, anxiety-like behavior, and irritability, to evaluate the potential of treatments to alleviate withdrawal symptoms.

Electrophysiological Recordings

The consortium provides in vivo electrophysiological assessments to investigate neural circuit dynamics and target engagement for the development of novel medication associated with mental disorders.

Brain Clearing

PARC offers mouse and rat brain clearing for single-cell whole-brain imaging.

Histological and Immunohistochemical Analyses

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PARC offers tissue-based analyses to examine structural and molecular changes in the brain related to substance use, including traditional IHC, ISH, FISH, and single-cell whole-brain imaging.