This application requests matching funds for Phase II of the renovation of the VH Animal Facility at the UAB. VH was completed in 1971, and remains the largest research building at UAB. The 35,438 sq. ft. assigned to the Animal Resources Program in the basement of VH is the largest of the UAB animal facilities. It currently houses over 15,000 animals, and provides housing and support services for 30 percent of the animal population at UAB, representing 14 species including rodents, dogs, farm animals, and non-human primates (NHP). This application proposes to renovate and expand animal research support space for surgery and imaging large and small animal species. It also proposes to consolidate central support service space. It will replace one of four air handlers that serve this facility, relocate the cage wash system, and improve adjacencies of many support areas near the loading dock, lead to improved traffic flow, improve security, ventilation, and plumbing, and abate asbestos. UAB is committed to the prevention and treatment of diseases as prioritized in the """"""""Healthy People 2010"""""""" directive. The investigators at UAB that will directly benefit from this application have diverse research interests that include heart disease, cancer, diabetes, gene therapy, chemoprevention, vaccine development and delivery, neural processing of visual stimulus and memory, and the mechanisms responsible for immune responses. The proposed renovations will thus provide state-of-the-art animal facilities to support federally-funded research in areas emerging as high priorities for new therapeutic strategies and health maintenance.
