During this fiscal year, the intramural program of the NIAAA has used mice, rats, and zebrafish. The majority of these animals are held in the Fishers Lane Animal Center at 5625 Fishers Lane in Rockville, Maryland with the remainder held in the 10/3C animal facility in the Ambulatory Care Research Facility and at times in central facilities on the NIH Bethesda campus and at the NIH Animal Center in Poolesville, Maryland. The NIAAA OLAS also provides support to two, one NIAAA DICBR and one NINDS, satellite holding facilities for the housing of zebrafish at 5625 Fishers Lane. Currently, OLAS supports 17 NIAAA principal investigators (PIs) conducting animal studies under 26 active animal study protocols and one NINDS PI conducting two ASPs. The NIAAA OLAS ensures that all animal use is performed humanely and in accordance with all Public Health Service policies and Federal guidelines. Through its commitment to programs of excellence in veterinary health care, animal husbandry, technical support and program administration the NIAAA OLAS has provided program support and facilitation necessary to the mission of the NIAAA and six additional ICs at the NIH. The NIAAA continues to play a leading role in the NIH Animal Care and Use Program and as an active participant in the laboratory animal science community. The NIAAA program, as part of the the NIH intramural program of animal care and use, has maintained full accreditation by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) International, an internationally recognized independent program, since 1991.
