The main goal of this proposal is to rebuild the ARF in accordance to current building codes and standards, as well as to effectively support competitive research needs. The proposed space and associated resources will be dedicated to three main purposes: 1) new research and procedural spaces designed to support scientific projects of current and future investigators, 2) a new space for the housing, care and breeding of animals and 3) new areas for an administrative support office and the management of deliveries and waste disposal. Space for animals and the use of the ARF will be allocated on the basis of research productivity and the attainment of external funding. The future state-of-the-art ARF will be designed to meet the needs of current faculty engaging in cutting-edge research. It is also set to attract at least two new tenure-track positions in biomedical research and the assignment of an additional position the ARF at the UPR-RP - the main and most diverse animal research center in the UPR system.
