Mississippi State University is an old Land Grant institution with a new administration committed to an expanded emphasis on externally funded research and on compliance with existing and anticipated animal welfare requlations. While the emphasis in life science research will continue to be in the agricultural sciences, as is appropriate in Mississippi, major portions of that research will (and do) focus on basic biological and medical aspects of fish and poultry and on the toxicologic effect of environmental chemicals on diverse species, including rodent and livestock models.
The specific aims of this project are consistent with the University's new committment: (1) declare and enforce as of July 1, 1987, the administrative centralization of all teaching and research (vertebrate) animal care units outside the live-stock production farms and flocks, ponds and deer and bobcat pens; (2) close sub-alter, renovate, and equip around 11,500 square feet of badly deficient animal facilities on the central campus (Harned Hall), in Poultry Science, in the Scales (Aquatic Research) Building, and in the Scales Isolation buildings used for poultry disease research. Upon installation of new flooring, room and door rearrangement, adequate HVAC systems, a cagewasher, and new caging and accessories to replace deteriorated equipment or add badly needed isolator units, all the animal resource facilities of MSU will meet standards required by DHHS policy. These improvements will enhance significantly the University's animal research potential and make AAALAC accreditation a realistic goal.
