KentConnects Blog
Welcome to the KentConnects blog, where we provide tips, best practices, examples, and more helpful information to improve your processes, boost your efficiency, and make your lab work smarter and safer.
What Recent Cuts to NIH Grants Mean for the Research Community
On February 7, 2025, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced a sudden policy change to cap indirect cost reimbursements at 15% for all existing and new research grants.
The Role of Exercise in Health
If one of your New Year’s Resolutions is to exercise more, you’re on the right track. Recent research with mice has uncovered numerous benefits of exercise, including flushing out brain toxins, reversing age-related changes in the brain, preventing DNA damage, reversing fat buildup, and more. Here are some of the key benefits of exercise based on recent research.
New Research on Anxiety and Stress: The Harm it Does and How to Potentially Control It
The holidays can be a stressful time, but fortunately, new studies are bringing us closer to understanding all the underlying mechanisms of stress and anxiety, its effects on the body and brain, and new potential treatments.
What Animal Research Can Tell Us About Fasting and Health
While many of us are looking forward to a Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings, new studies show that fasting, not feasting, may be better for our health. The potential health benefits of fasting have long intrigued scientists, and new animal studies have shed light on how fasting impacts the body in ways that may also benefit humans.
A Special Spooky Season Report: What Mice Studies Can Teach Us About Fear
As Halloween approaches, fear takes center stage in haunted houses, scary movies, and spooky stories. But fear isn’t just a seasonal thrill—it's a deeply ingrained response that scientists have been studying for decades. Mice and rats have become key subjects in fear research, helping us understand the science of fear and how it shapes behavior.
Using Research with Mice to Prolong Human Life
A significant percentage of preclinical research is devoted to finding treatments or cures, but several recent studies with mice have gone beyond finding a cure for a specific disease or condition, venturing into the realm of enabling humans to age better and live longer.
The Potential Healing Properties of Foods
In the quest for better health and wellness, the foods we consume play a pivotal role. While the benefits of a balanced diet are widely recognized, recent advancements in animal research are uncovering intriguing insights into how certain foods may offer more than just basic nutrition.
Mice in Space: Rodent Research on the International Space Station
Scientists are taking animal research to new heights—literally. Since 2014, researchers have been conducting various experiments with rodents in outer space aboard the International Space Station.
What Research with Animals Can Tell Us About the Senses of Sight, Hearing, and Smell
Animal studies provide invaluable insights into the senses of sight, hearing, and smell. By examining these senses in animals, researchers have made numerous important discoveries about the underlying mechanisms of sensory perception and what they reveal about human sensory experiences.