The Research Facility (RAF) of the AHFCC is a centralized unit located in the Naylor Dana Institute for Disease Prevention (NDI), representing the only resource for housing laboratory animals within the AHF. The objectives of the facility are to maintain research animals according to the principals of proper animal care and use, and to generate quality research data from the conduct of animal experiments. The RAF is considered a specialized facility because it not only provides routine animal care and maintenance through a team of trained animal care technicians, but also provides a special service for conducting the procedures involved in animal experimentation of behalf of investigators, carried out a team of skilled and qualified research biologists. The Chief of the Facility is Dr. Gordon C. Hard, who has a veterinary degree and certifications in laboratory animal science, toxicologic pathology, and general toxicology. The Attending Veterinarian is a consultant, Elihu Bond, D.V.M., who inspects the facility on a once-per-month basis, but is available for consultation at any time. The RAF occupies a net area of 12,310 square feet (14,200 gross square feet) designed around a conventional clean/dirty corridor system supporting a cage-wash area and a central bank of 14 animal holding rooms for rodents and rabbits only. Special purpose areas include two quarantine rooms: a semi-barrier room for immunodeficient mice, three treatment rooms with biocontainment or canopy hoods; metabolism, necropsy and clinical laboratories; food and bedding storage rooms, an diet-mixing kitchen. The facility has its own air-handling system which maintains on average a temperature of 72+/-8 degrees Fahrenheit and relative humidity of 50+/-10% providing 15-20 changes of fresh air per hour to the animal rooms. The facility is also fitted with an automated watering system. The RAF operates strictly according to regulatory guidelines. The animal care and use program is monitored by a 9-member Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) which ensures compliance with Public Health Service policy regarding welfare and human treatment of laboratory animals (Assurance no. A3293-01). The Committee includes the Attending Veterinarian, an external non-affiliated layperson, and scientific and non-scientific AHF staff. The facility has received full accreditation by the American Association for Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) since being established in 1976, and comes under triennial site-review to maintain this status. The facility is also inspected on a regular basis each year by both Federal and State governments. The AHF Biosafety and Biohazard Facility monitors the use of hazardous chemicals and other agents within the facility. NCI-funded new construction currently underway will provide office space for the RAF staff, as well as for relocation of a refurbished necropsy room.
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