Duke University is committed to scientific research and its translation to improve human health, including through appropriate use of animals in research. Duke researchers whose current or past investigations have required significant use of USDA-covered species are responsible for $20,407,773 in annual direct costs from the National Institutes of Health. Strength of these programs is projected to double the need for large animal species by 2016, and current demand already exceeds capacity. To expand, modernize and centralize housing and procedural space for USDA-covered species, to meet current and projected research needs with these species, and to enable backfill of vacated spaces, construction of a two-story addition of 19,215 gross sf (gsf) (16,763 net sf, 87% efficiency), to Duke's existing Central Vivarium is proposed. The addition will include non-human primate housing and procedure space on the first floor (8,423 nsf) and large animal housing and procedure space on the second floor (8,340 nsf).The addition will allow consolidation of USDA-covered species within this single vivarium, while facilitating sharing of specialized equipment and enhancing security. Purpose-built for USDA-covered species, the addition will be designed to be flexible to maximize its usefulness as research needs evolve in coming years. The design also maximizes the addition's impact on research by utilizing existing cagewashing, support and surgical facilities. Contiguous with the existing Central Vivarium and Surgical Pavilion, the addition will be incorporated seamlessly into the veterinary, animal care, and administrative structure of Duke's Division of Laboratory Animal Resources. Planning for this addition was started in 2007 and halted in 2008 due to the economy. Duke already cannot accommodate current faculty needs for non-human primates, agricultural animals, and canines, and space constraints for these species have precluded recruitment of faculty who rely on these models. Furthermore, Duke investigators with promising findings and translational advances in neurobiology, movement disorders, surgery, transplantation, cardiovascular disease, infectious disease, and other fields are unable to accelerate translation or expand the scope of their research due to central housing constraints and limited procedural space for USDA-covered species. In addition, Duke's vivaria cannot support studies conducted under Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) regulations, restricting investigators'ability to conduct safety and toxicity studies in-house prior to submitting regulatory dossiers to the Food and Drug Admin. These problems are exacerbated by suboptimal design of the currently used space that makes routine husbandry, care, and monitoring of these species inefficient. The proposed project will rectify these existing problems, and in doing so will accelerate discovery and translation, provide state-of-the-art space for basic, translational, and pre-clinical studies, and create near-term and long-term jobs. In keeping with Duke's commitment to sustainability, the addition will meet requirements for LEED certification.
