The University of South Alabama has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to a strong animal care and use program. The long-term goals of the university have been the development of excellent vivarial services which meet the needs of a rapidly growing university and medical center research program, the development of a strong academic program in comparative medicine, and AAALAC accreditation. It was recognized that in order to meet the university's goals it would require centralization of animal care and use and development of an organizational unit with university-wide authority for the program. Several important decisions have been made by the university administration in the last 8 years which have facilitated the move toward centralization of the animal research and resource program. In 1983, the university created a Department of Comparative Medicine (DCM) in the college of medicine through which laboratory animal medical care was to be provided for the college of medicine. This department also provides academic and research opportunities for faculty members involved with vivarial services. In 1985, the administration created a university-wide IACUC to monitor animal research protocols for all colleges within the.university. And in 1988, the position of Director of University Biological Resources was established and the role of the professional staff of comparative medicine was expanded university-wide in order to centralize the administration of the animal care and use program. The chief impediment to completion of the university's goals has been physical facilities. To solve this problem, planning was begun in 1989 to expand and renovate the existing vivarial facilities to make possible the centralization of both facilities and administration of the program. The objective of this application is to make possible the completion of the final phase of the university's plan for centralizing the animal care and use program. This application requests matching funds for replacement cages and alterations and renovations necessary to complete the centralization of the animal care and use program. Completion of this phase of the university's plan will also allow us to seek university-wide AAALAC accreditation.
