This application for the Laboratory Animal Major Equipment Program (LAMb) requests support to purchase a heavy duty, conveyor based, hydro-spray tunnel cage washer for the vivarium at Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (MEDVAMC). This is a facility-wide enhancement that will be available to all current and future researchers housing laboratory animals at our facility, including the 6 VA investigators listed in the application. The new cage washing system will replace an existing 13 year-old tunnel cage washer faced with a recurrent need for repairs resulting in significant downtime and costs associated with parts and labor. The new system will benefit the facility, not only by avoiding recurrent repairs and downtime, but also due to enhanced efficiency and safety features for personnel operating the system. A new tunnel cage washer will represent a significant enhancement to the vivarium at MEDVAMC and to the overall infrastructure for research at our station. Many of our most successful investigators use laboratory animals for their federally-funded research programs. Maintaining a high-quality laboratory animal husbandry program supports our goal to retain these successful investigators and continue our efforts to recruit additional successful investigators.
This application requests the purchase of an updated system intended to wash and sanitize cages and other supplies needed for the care of laboratory animals at MEDVAMC. This system will enhance the laboratory animal facilities at our institution and will provide benefit to facility staff, researchers, and laboratory animals housed in the facility. Research on laboratory animals at MEDVAMC is aimed at understanding biomedical conditions relevant to Veterans. Enhancing our laboratory animal facilities supports the mission of advancing basic research with the ultimate goal of improving of the health and well being of Veterans.
