VCU is one of the nation's largest academic health centers, comprising one of the oldest schools of medicine as well as schools of dentistry, pharmacy, allied health, and nursing. VCU has entered a period of significant research enhancement, and strengthening the research quality and capability of the University is a primary institutional objective. During the 2000-2001 year, VCU's PHS-funding grew by 19 percent and, as a result, the school of medicine rose four places in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) ranking of medical schools. With four weeks yet to go in the 2001-2002 fiscal year, indications are that funding this year will grow by about 25 percent. With the growth in the research programs, new research-oriented faculty are being recruited who will add to the research capacity of the Institution. Currently, VCU has decentralized animal care and use resources to support its largely NIH-funded health sciences research. The NIH supports several major animal research initiatives at VCU, including a Transgenic and Knockout Mouse Core, an Immunotoxicology Laboratory, the Center for Drug Abuse Research, Molecular Biology Core Laboratory, Epilepsy Research Center, and Head Injury Research Center. The principal animal housing areas and support services are spread among seven facilities, a situation common to many research universities. Much of this animal research infrastructure was installed more than a decade ago, and large shared pieces of equipment such as cagewashers were purchased 12 to 20 years ago. These items are now in urgent need of replacement, particularly in light of the rapid growth in NIH-funded animal research. This application will use National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) funding to purchase and install three cage washers, one tunnel washer, one autoclave vacuum evacuation system, and ten plastic rat cage rack units with change of cages. VCU will provide matching institutional funds to purchase and install two autoclaves, one cage washer, one tunnel washer, and 18 plastic mouse cage rack units with change of cages. VCU is at a major transition point in its research history and seeks to become one of the top 75 research universities within the next five years. Institutional funds have been made available to facilitate growth in research. This NCRR competition provides an opportunity to leverage these funds.
