The aim of this G20 proposal entitled """"""""UNM Health Sciences Center Animal Resource Facility Improvement"""""""" is a request for $499,967 to: 1) support purchase of 25 ventilated mouse racks with cages/accessories and associated mechanical and electrical construction to provide connection of these units to building exhaust and electrical in four of the five SPF mouse rooms (the 5th room is in the mouse breeding barrier and connections were installed during a recent renovation) (1261 gsf / 1159 nsf). 2) To upgrade 2 procedures rooms (399 gsf / 352 nsf) in the SPF mouse research suite to remove old and add new casework and purchase a 5 foot HEPA filtered animal procedure station to be located in one of the procedure rooms. The total space affected by this project is 1,660 gsf / 1,511 nsf, and it includes space where equipment is sited and/or renovation at the University of New Mexico (UNM) Health Sciences Center (HSC) Animal Resource Facility (ARF). This ARF project is located in contiguous space within the Biomedical Research Facility (BRF) and the Basic Medical Sciences Building (BMSB). The BRF/BMSB animal facilities comprise the major component of ARF but the HSC ARF also includes housing/research in two HSC satellite imaging facilities. This project builds upon improvements from three previous renovation projects completed in the BRF and BMSB ARF in 2002 and 2008, and 2013. These past renovations upgraded mechanical (HVAC with DDC controls and environmental alarms), floors, finishes and roofing and the most recent project (2012 G20 award $500K plus $82K institutional match) replaced a 26 year old tunnel washer, renovated 4 rooms and added 16 ventilated mouse racks to 3 of the 4 rooms in the mouse breeding barrier. This new proposed project will add five ventilated mouse racks to the remaining room in the mouse breeding barrier (barrier supports 19 PI laboratories) that will be purchased with the large cages (180 in2/cage - 36 cages/rack) that can be used in any rack in the breeding barrier by interchanging with small cages (75 in2/cage) (2 small cages fit in the slot for 1 large cage). We propose the large cages in the breeding barrier to allow us to support trio breeding with adequate space per breeding female recommended under the 8th edition NIH guide. Second we propose to renovate and add 20 ventilated racks (5 racks/room) in the 4 mouse rooms in the specific pathogen free (SPF) research suite. These proposed ventilated racks are single sided units with capacity of 72 cages (75 in2 /cage) per unit. This rack format will allow us to increase room cage capacity by 25% (288 to 360 cages). This SPF mouse research suite currently supports 41 PI laboratories. These rooms are currently near capacity and 3 new faculty with mouse research programs plan to transfer their mice to the ARF by January 2014. Two of the 3 faculty are members of the Cancer Center and our goal is to co-locate them with the rest of our mouse cancer research users. This project will increase capacity in this suite to support this goal. The two procedure rooms in the SPF mouse research suite currently have central oxygen gases and inhalant isoflurane anesthesia units with waste anesthetic gas scavenging provided through our building exhaust. One of the rooms has a Class II A2 Biosafety Cabinet that provides protection to the mice from potential microbiological contamination and operator safety (particulate only). The casework in one of the rooms is wooden and the quantity and format of the casework in both rooms is insufficient to support our users in this suite. Therefore, we propose to upgrade casework in the two procedure rooms to improve functionality with segregated secure equipment storage, add a new sink with the casework in one of the procedure rooms and add a mobile HEPA filter procedure station. In general, this project is a continuation to transition from static microisolatr mouse cages to ventilated cages. Completion of the project is critical for us to continue meeting our strategic and programmatic goals which are to: expand a productive partnership between the NIH and UNM HSC;enhance our support to the HSC Signature Programs (Brain and Behavioral Illnesses, Cancer, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease, Child Health, Environmental He0alth, and Infectious Diseases and Immunity);expand development of new emerging synergies with ARF as one of the technology cores within our Clinical and Translational Science Center Award (CTSC);improve animal care compliance;and sustain AAALAC accreditation which HSC has continued since 1973. New equipment under this project will improve animal care by improving animal room and cage air quality with ventilation of the cages and exhaust from the building and enhance UNM'S sustainability goals by saving energy and water (less frequent cage changing/sanitation). The cost of labor and cage supplies will also be reduced which will lower cost escalation to core users. In conclusion, we continually seek ways to accelerate the pace of discoveries through our interdisciplinary CTSC which has overarching goals to promote a healthier public and more affordable patient care.
