Modernization of a Shared-use Gnotobiotic Animal Core

项目摘要 Gnotobiotic动物中心（GNAC）是一个专门的小鼠护理设施，由研究人员在 和华盛顿大学（UW）之外。它位于无特定病原体（SPF）的饲养场， 健康科学大楼在华盛顿大学，占地约1750平方英尺，包括四个独立的房间。进行管理 由比较医学系的两名教员和训练有素的GNAC工作人员组成。GNAC 是一个完整的研究支持设施：我们创造和照顾gnotobiotic和无菌小鼠居住在 核心和提供技术支持，为不同的gnotobiotic研究的需要。核心的一个特殊优势是 新的调查人员可以通过使用GNAC工作人员的现成专业知识进行小型试点项目， 他们没有进行这种研究所需的广泛培训。GNAC已经运作了七年多 在此期间，来自十五个不同研究小组的四十多名研究人员使用了 GNAC。在23项联邦赠款和12项 私人基金会/机构赠款。GNAC采用两种外壳系统： 饲养和维持各种品系的GF小鼠，并在饲养期间对小鼠使用等阳性笼。 实验等量培养笼是高度专业化的、气密的、HEPA过滤的生物排斥培养笼（ISOcage 由Tecniplast制造的Pcaging）。当与使用生物安全柜和无菌技术相结合时， 等离子笼为研究者提供了一种更易于使用的隔离器替代品，以便于维护和操作 无菌小鼠本申请的目标是使用数字通风系统改造现有ISOcage P融合器 笼架环境监测（DVC REM）系统。DVC REM系统将监测笼和机架- 水平的环境，以及全球动物活动在每个笼子里不断。现代化将大大 增强使用小鼠的gnotobiotic研究的几个实验和养殖相关方面：1）改进 实验的严谨性、可重复性和实验的翻译，导致研究数量减少 动物需要解决复杂的研究问题; 2）通过提供24/7改善动物福利 监测，将提醒调查人员与动物健康或笼子环境的问题;和3）改善 通过简化动物护理时间表，对GNAC工作人员在畜牧业实践中进行时间管理- 相关任务以及准备和轮换供应品。成功完成我们提出的计划将广泛地 通过帮助最大限度地利用有限的资源，使所有使用该设施的调查人员受益， 通过提供前所未有的环境和动物连续监测， 活动

PROJECT SUMMARY The Gnotobiotic Animal Core (GNAC) is a specialized mouse care facility that is shared by investigators within and outside of the University of Washington (UW). It is located in the specific pathogen free (SPF) vivarium in the Health Sciences Buildings at UW and occupies ~1750 sq ft consisting of four separate rooms. It is managed by two faculty members and highly trained GNAC Staff in the Department of Comparative Medicine. The GNAC is a complete research support facility: We create and care for gnotobiotic and germ-free mice housed in the core and provide technical support for diverse gnotobiotic research needs. A particular strength of the core is that new investigators can conduct small pilot projects by using the ready-to-go expertise of GNAC staff even if they do not have the extensive training needed for such studies. The GNAC has been operational for over seven years, and during this period, more than forty investigators from fifteen different research groups have used the GNAC. Over twenty publications have been generated with support from twenty-three federal grants and twelve private foundation/institutional grants. GNAC utilizes two housing systems: Flexible-film isolators are used for breeding and maintenance of various strains of GF mice, and isopositive cages are used for mice during experiments. The isopositive cages are highly specialized, air-tight, HEPA filtered, bioexclusion cages (ISOcage P caging manufactured by Tecniplast). When paired with using a biosafety cabinet and sterile technique, the isopositive cages offer a more user-friendly alternative to isolators for investigators to maintain and manipulate gnotobiotic mice. The goal of this application is to retrofit existing ISOcage P cages with a Digital Ventilated Cage Rack Environment Monitoring (DVC REM) system. The DVC REM system will monitor cage- and rack- level environments as well as global animal activity within each cage continuously. This modernization will greatly enhance several experimental and husbandry-related aspects of gnotobiotic research using mice: 1) improved experimental rigor, reproducibility and translation of experiments, resulting in reduced number of research animals needed to address complex research questions; 2) improved animal welfare by providing 24/7 monitoring that will alert investigators to problems with animal health or the caging environment; and 3) improved time management for GNAC staff during animal husbandry practices by streamlining scheduling of animal care- related tasks and preparing and rotating supplies. Successful completion of our proposed plan will broadly benefit all investigators using the facility by helping to maximize the use of limited resources and to improve reproducibility in animal research by providing unprecedented continuous monitoring of environment and animal activities.