Contract research services within obesity

We have conducted preclinical obesity studies in the vast majority of all commercially available rodent models. One of our hallmarks is the ability to measure food preference changes in a diet-induced obese (DIO) rat model.

Our 15 years of scientific and technical CRO expertise, combined with our constant animal availability and readiness, translate into speed and high scientific standards. We provide solid data and scientific guidance, which you can use as the foundation for business decisions to move your projects forward.

Our main offerings:

DIO models and the majority of commercially available models
Acute or chronic anorectic properties assessed in real-time food/water/activity system
Monitoring of food preference, taste aversion and pica behavior
Site-specific compound administration, e.g. intrathecal, intracerebroventricular or local injections into specific nuclei in the brain
Total body fat measurements using our EchoMRI scanner
Tissue fat measurements using small sample EchoMRI scanner
Energy expenditure testing using indirect calorimetry
In vivo lipogenesis
Selective vagal deafferentiation and other MoA validations
RNA sequencing and bioinformatics

Get in touch

Get in touch if you are interested in discussing how to get started with your study.

Niels Vrang

Co-founder, Chairman of the board
niels@gubra.dk
+45 3152 2651

Get in touch

Contact us

DIO rodent models at Gubra

We are highly experienced with various DIO rodent models.

See overview of DIO rodent models
Check out our other in vivo models

Gubra DIO rat model

At Gubra, we have developed a DIO rat model. One of the hallmarks of our DIO model is our ability to measure food preference changes.

Read article:
Effects of liraglutide and sibutramine on food intake, palatability, body weight and glucose tolerance in the gubra DIO-rats

Gubra hamster model

We also work with a hamster model, which offers a different lipid profile from rats and has a lipid metabolism that is quite similar to humans. DIO hamsters show development of hypercholesterolemia when offered a high fat/high carbohydrate diet with cholesterol supplementation.

Read article:
A Hamster Model of Diet-Induced Obesity for Preclinical Evaluation of Anti-Obesity, Anti-Diabetic and Lipid Modulating Agents

Type of studies

Acute efficacy studies

In an acute efficacy study we offer e.g.

OGTT/IPGTT/IVGTT and ITT in rats and mice
Automatized food intake testing
Conditioned taste aversion testing
In vitro biology

Chronic efficacy studies

In a chronic efficacy study we offer e.g.

Body weight, food intake, food preference
Chronic efficacy testing (7 days to 12+ weeks)
EchoMRI determination of body fat and tissue fat (e.g. liver)
Ex vivo assays (TG, Chol, FFAs, Hormones: Leptin, ghrelin, glucagon, insulin, GLP-1, GIP, PYY3-36 etc.)

Mode of action studies

In a mode of action study we offer e.g.

Energy expenditure and metabolic cages
Selective vagal deafferentation (SDA) and area postrema ablation
Bariatric surgery
Blood pressure
Conditioned taste aversion and pica behavior
c-Fos – a marker of neuronal activation

“I like to work with Gubra because they are experts, proficient in what they do and they know how to follow a protocol as a CRO, while still remaining flexible as an academic group.”

Dr. Thomas Klein
Senior Principle Scientist | Boeringer Ingelheim Pharma