In this revised submission, matching funds are requested to renovate the Ullmann Animal Unit of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, a major biomedical research institution with more than 44 million dollars in PHS funding. The Ullmann Animal Unit of 16,400 net square feet includes the 10th and 11th floors of the Ullmann building and house approximately half of AECOM's research animals, supporting more than 60 investigators and most major research programs of the college. The objective are (1) to convert largely unused dog rooms to additional barrier rodent space and more flexible space, (2) to improve the control of airflow and formite- borne rodent pathogens in rooms and hallways, (3) to improve cage sanitization, (4) to remove heat and humidity generated by cage washing, (5) to better vent exhaust anesthetic gasses, (6) to control temperature for Xenopus frogs, (7) to remove windows from animal rooms, and (8) to increase housing for pathogen-free mice. These objectives will be met by a 4-part renovation plan. In Part A, six large rooms will be renovated to create two barrier rodent suites and two multi-species rooms. The barrier rodent suites will be used to re-derive and re-stock the Ullman Building with pathogen-free rodents. The multi-species rooms will flexibly house small numbers of dogs, pigs, or sheep. In Part B, the cage-wash will be expanded to store dirty cages, the antiquated tunnel and rack washers will be replaced and the room exhaust will be upgraded. A new fume hood will be installed to vent waste anesthetic gasses from a heavily-used procedure room. In Part C, in-room supplemental cooling and new caging will be purchased to permit optimal housing and natural breeding of Xenopus frogs by providing temperatures under 72 degrees F. In Part D, 120 windows in 31 animals rooms on two floors will be eliminated to permit photoperiod control and to increase energy efficiency. This set of 4 related renovations will permit much-needed expansion of pathogen-free housing for rodents, including increasing numbers of immunodeficient, transgenic and knock-out mice in both the Ullman and Chanin buildings. These renovations are urgently needed and will assure compliance with the USDA Animal Welfare Act and DHHS policies related to room temperatures, controlling lighting and ventilation, working conditions for animal caretakers. The renovations will also assist us in maintaining our AAALAC accreditation.
