The lab was established by Dr. Refinetti in 1986. As shown in the map below, the lab has moved quite a few times since its inception. We have been in South America and in the West Coast, East Coast, and Midwest of the United States. Often, but not always, we have been associated with universities. We do not actually like to move, so we hope that our current location will be our last location. However, if the past is a hint to the future, we will probably be moving again sometime in the next decade.

The laboratory is well equipped, although the type of research that is conducted does not require sophisticated equipment. Generally, animals are housed in plastic cages inside individual ventilated light-tight chambers. Illumination within the chambers is controlled by electronic timers. Data collection is conducted around-the-clock by computers.

The two variables most commonly monitored are locomotor activity and body temperature. Locomotor activity is monitored by means of running wheels or infrared motion detectors. Body temperature is monitored by radio telemetry, which involves the use of surgically implanted temperature sensitive radio transmitters and separate radio receivers or, more recently, by temperature sensitive PIT tags and custom made antennas.