Animal studies are critical to the scientific missions of the NEIDL institute. Virtually every research project that explores pathogenesis and treatment and prevention strategies as well as studies comparing infected to control animals and diverse/various/numerous pathogens and pathogenic strains will involve animal studies. The animal housing and operational facilities are well integrated to maximize space utilization while maintaining the ABSL-3 and ABSL-4 containment levels necessary for vital animal studies. The high containment animal zones provide space for animal housing, research procedures and postmortem examinations and support spaces for personnel and supplies. Some of the animal facility support functions are located outside the high-containment zones. This design strategy conserves valuable containment space and allows cage washing and other core animal facility support activities to be conducted at ABSL-1. Functions and Services Provided by the Core: * Monitors and evaluates all activities involving animals on behalf of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) to insure they meet the ethical and legal requirements for humane care and use * Provides an animal husbandry and technical support program * Develops and implements strategies for environmental enrichment of animals * Provides a program of veterinary care that utilizes current best practices * Fosters a positive, supportive, and safe working environment for all personnel
| LeDuc, James W; Anderson, Kevin; Bloom, Marshall E et al. (2009) Potential impact of a 2-person security rule on BioSafety Level 4 laboratory workers. Emerg Infect Dis 15:e1 |
