Brown University is engaged in a three phase, multi-year project for upgrading the quality and efficiency of its animal care program, which serves research and instruction by faculty on campus and in hospitals affiliated with Brown's medical school. Academic programs at Brown lead to the M.D., Ph.D., master's and bachelor's degrees and also include postdoctoral training and continuing medical education for physicians. In 1986-87 the animal care program served 77 Brown research projects which were supported by over $4.8 million in grants and contracts, including more than $3.5 million from N.I.H. Fourteen projects supported by grants to the hospitals and seven courses also used the Animal Care Facility (ACF). The animal care facilities on the Brown campus include the main ACF building and two satellite facilities. This proposal is Phase II of the upgrading program. Phase I, nearing completion, provided nearing completion, provided necessary upgrading of the two satellite facilities to meet new federal guidelines. Phase III is the scheduled construction of a new wing connected to the ACF, which will include a modern facility for viral-free rodents, an animal surgery suite, and a new loading platform. The objective of work proposed here is to upgrade certain components of the Animal Care Facility to permit more efficient operation and to insure compliance with acceptable standards of animal care and use. Five projects are proposed: A) To install cubicles in existing large animal rooms to permit more effective space utilization; B) To upgrade the centralized cage washing facility by replacing a failure-prone old unit with a new one and adding a second washer for viral free rodents; C) To facilitate sanitization of rooms for large animals by installing raised floors and drains; D) To complete resurfacing of all animal room floors; E) To meet the needs of new primate programs by constructing a 3 room surgery and concentrating all services for primates on a single floor, thereby promoting biosafety.
