The Laboratory Animal Resource is responsible for promoting the humane care of laboratory animals used by CCSG investigators. In June 2005, the Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC International) reviewed and re-accredited the Resource for a full three years. The Resource provides specialized animal husbandry;veterinary medical care;animal health surveillance;diagnostic laboratory facilities;irradiation services, research technical services, and faculty training to support more than 150 Institute Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) -approved animal use protocols. Additional services include immune-deficient rodent production, imaging facilities, import and export of animals, and hybridoma ascites production and collection in mice. Daily animal inventories of 24,000 to 28,000 include primarily rodents, but also include woodchucks, dogs and occasionally farm animals. The Resource Director is a New York State licensed veterinarian who completed a residency-training program in Laboratory Animal Medicine. Eighteen members of the technical staff are certified through the Certification and Registry Board of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS). The Laboratory Animal Resource is located in the four-story 39,000 net square feet (nsf) Vivarium, which opened in 1998, is adjacent to the Medical Research Complex (MRC). An additional 8,000 nsf of newly renovated space is available in the Cancer Cell Center. Laboratories for work with gene knockout and transgenic technologies in mice are immediately adjacent to animal holding rooms. Continued support through the CCSG will permit the Resource to provide a standard of care and use that meets or exceeds applicable state and federal standards, maintain full AAALAC International accreditation, and furnish investigators with a comprehensive program for safe, appropriate and cost effective research animal use. The Laboratory Animal Resource serves investigators from all six CCSG programs and offers continuing training opportunities to enhance animal safety and resource usage. The Resource remains an important tool for recruitment and retention of peer-reviewed investigators due to high efficiency, dedicated well-trained staff and low chargebacks to investigators made possibly by RPCI subsidy. Over the last grant period, CCSG Developmental funds were allocated to expand a new and unique service titled, Mouse Tumor Model Resource (MTMR). The MTMR provides services for specialized techniques, as well as mouse models of human disease. The Resource is used by all six CCSG Programs and 93% of users are CCSG members. $168,487 in CSCG support is requested, representing 6% of the total operating budget.
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