The Department of Comparative Medicine has important responsibilities in the areas of teaching and research, but its primary responsibility is its service role. The service objective is to provide comprehensive support for all research and teaching projects involving animals. The highest priority is to insure that all animals are healthy, and properly and humanely housed and care for. St. Louis University has committed substantial resources to upgrading its program of animal care over the past several years and has achieved AAALAC Accreditation. However, the rapidly changing technologic and regulatory situation demands that we continue to make substantial improvements in our facilities and programs. The renovations and caging equipment requested in this application will enable us to meet the needs of the laboratory animals and our investigators for the next several years. The surgical and clinical pathology equipment will allow us to greatly enhance our surgical, animal health, and post-operative/intensive care programs. The pathology and microbiology equipment will allow us to provide more comprehensive post mortum diagnostic services as well as enhancing our antemortum diagnostic capabilities in microbiology and serology. All of the renovations and equipment will complement the existing facilities and equipment and the professional and technical staff in a manner designed to provide a program of exemplory animal care and use for the faculty of St. Louis University.
