The University of Missouri-Columbia (MU) has experienced tremendous research growth in recent years. Extramural research awards increased 72% from $73.2 million in FY1998 to $126.1 million in FY2002. Much of this funding was awarded for biomedical sciences research involving animals. In FY02, MU projects with animal use protocols totaled over $24 million in annual direct costs. This growth reflects MU's priority on life sciences research as part of its strategic mission. In an independent study, Flad &Associates formulated a Campus Vivarium Master Plan and identified serious space deficiencies for housing non-rodent species and moderate space deficiencies for rodent housing. This project to construct an Animal Resource Center is part of MU's plan to address these issues. The Animal Resource Center (ARC) will be new construction in the southeast part of the MU campus near other animal-based research facilities. The ARC will occupy 17,540 gross square feet and contain 8,810 net square feet of animal housing, procedure and support space, including twelve 481-square-foot animal rooms. The ARC will house non-rodent species, primarily swine, used by investigators from the College of Veterinary Medicine;the School of Medicine;the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources;and the Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center to conduct cardiovascular, exercise physiology and environmental toxicology research. Investigators impacted by the proposed construction currently hold NIH awards totaling over $21.5 million in annual direct costs. The ARC will be managed and operated by the MU Office of Animal Resources as part of the College of Veterinary Medicine's AAALAC-accredited program.
