The University of Mississippi's Animal Resource Program has undergone a major reorganization and redefinition of priorities. Several factors have contributed to these changes, but the two primary influences are a) the movement toward administrative centralization; and b) a refining and reorientation of the University's biomedical research programs, with a major focus on Drug Discovery. The School of Pharmacy's program in Drug Discovery and Development has grown dramatically, with increasing focus on discovery of new anti-infective agents. This program has succeeded in attracting major federal funding initiatives, the capstone of which is the National Center for the Technological Development of Natural Products. This Center is slated for completion in 1995, and will include the University's new state-of-the-art laboratory animal facilities. These facilities, along with a complete program staff with appropriate support and monitoring of the University's animal usage, have been one of our long- range goals for the Animal Resource Program. In the interim, in preparation for the transition to that facility and staffing arrangement, the Animal Resource Program has identified essential short term goals to upgrade existing facilities, to provide humane, professional, and safe conditions for animal housing/usage, and for appropriate support for current growth of research efforts. Specifically it is proposed to upgrade and expand the capability for our researchers to work with animal models of infectious disease. Toward the end, this application requests funding for equipping two of our existing animal rooms with: a) three animal isolator housing systems; b) a Class II biohazard containment hood for research procedures in rodents; and c) two autoclaves for decontamination of bedding, caging, and other housing materials, and for sterilization/decontamination of animal procedure room supplies and instruments, respectively. In this interim period (1992-1995), it is critical that this institution maintain and extend its commitment to the provision of suitable facilities in support of our animal research programs in biomedical science.
