Reducing versus Embracing Variation as Strategies for Reproducibility: The Microbiome of Laboratory Mice

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Research
• Animal Models
• Philosophy of Science

Background:

• Irreproducibility is a significant challenge in biomedical animal experimentation.
• Phenotypic variation in animal models is a major contributor to this irreproducibility.
• Strategies for managing variation, such as reduction or embrace, are debated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the complex issue of dealing with phenotypic variation in experimental designs.
• To use mouse microbiome variation as a case study to explore strategies for reproducibility.
• To provide a conceptual framework for understanding reproducibility and variation.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical review drawing on animal research and philosophy of science.
• Conceptual analysis of reproducibility and its relationship with variation.
• Examination of mouse microbiome composition as a source of phenotypic variation.

Main Results:

• Mouse microbiome variation can act as a confounding factor, impacting experimental results.
• Microbiome variation can affect the generalizability of findings to different animal populations.
• Reducing variation minimizes confounding, while embracing variation enhances generalizability.

Conclusions:

• The optimal strategy for managing variation depends on the specific research aim and question.
• A one-size-fits-all approach is not suitable for the broad field of biomedical animal experimentation.
• Researchers must consider variation on a case-by-case basis and maintain awareness.