The application's long term objective is to improve the quality efficiency, and scope of laboratory animal care at Cornell University Medical College (CUMC). More than $13,000,000 is awarded to CUMC each year for animal related research. The goal of this proposal is to protect and enhance this investment. Clinically related animal research at CUMC includes: improved treatment of shock and traumatic injury, ultrasonic treatment of intraocular lesions, improvements in plastic surgery, use of lasers in surgery, development of nuclear magnetic resonance scanning techniques, improved surgical techniques in urology, the effect of drugs and chemicals on fetal response and development, improved chemotherapy for leishmaniasia, treatment of stroke, mechanisms of toxic shock, and many others. Basic biomedical research is conducted in a broad array of disciplines including: biochemistry, physiology, pharmacology, immunology and pathobiology. In all, 142 research projects require the use of animals. Improving the quality and efficiency of animal care, thus facilitating future research, will be accomplished in two interrelated sequential phases. In this application we describe both phases in order to show our long-term plan and to more fully convey the significance of phase I; due, however, to extremely heavy commitments for institutional funds, we must defer the completion of phase II, and at this time, request funding for phase I only. Phase I involves the replacement of old, breakdown prone, and inefficient animal cage washing equipment and the renovation of under utilized space in order to properly accomodate the cage washing functions. Phase I also provides for the consolidation of 2 cage washing facilities, thereby, allowing two technicians to accomplish the work that presently requires the efforts of three. Furthermore, the reliability of the sanitization of cages and other equipment will be significantly enhanced with more modern equipment, installed to discharge sanitized equipment through a """"""""barrier"""""""", thus completely separating soiled from clean equipment during the washing process. Finally, with the completion of phase I, space presently occupied by an obsolete rack washer becomes available for the completion of phase II. Phase II involves the development of a modern animal quarantine/isolation facility. This is important because animals that carry infectious agents that may be detrimental to other research are needed for some research projects. The completion of phase II will greatly increase our capability to prevent the spread of disease.
