Modernization of a Shared-use Gnotobiotic Animal Core

项目总结 GnotoBiotic Animal Core(GNAC)是一个专门的老鼠护理设施，由研究人员在 和华盛顿大学(UW)以外的地方。它位于无特定病原体(SPF)的间隔区 健康科学大楼位于华盛顿大学，占地约1750平方英尺，由四个独立的房间组成。它是托管的 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：我们创造并照顾饲养在 核心，并提供技术支持，以满足不同的灵知菌研究需求。核心的一个特殊优势是 新的调查人员可以通过使用新奥理事会工作人员随时可用的专业知识来进行小型试点项目，即使 他们没有接受过此类研究所需的广泛培训。国家运输委员会已经运作了七年多。 在此期间，来自15个不同研究小组的40多名研究人员使用了 格纳克。在23项联邦拨款和12项联邦拨款的支持下，出版了20多种出版物 私人基金会/机构赠款。GNAC采用两种外壳系统：柔性薄膜隔离器用于 饲养和维护不同品系的GF小鼠，并将同源的笼子用于小鼠在 实验。等位阳性笼是高度专业化、气密性、HEPA过滤、生物排斥的笼(ISOcage 由Tecniplast制造的P笼子)。当与使用生物安全柜和无菌技术配合使用时， 同位的笼子提供了一种比隔离器更友好的选择，便于研究人员维护和操作 灵知生菌小鼠。此应用程序的目标是将现有的ISOcage P笼改造为数字通风 笼架环境监测(DVC REM)系统。DVC REM系统将监控机笼和机架 每个笼子内持续的水平环境以及全球动物活动。这种现代化将极大地 加强利用小鼠进行生理学研究的几个实验和畜牧业相关方面：1)改进 实验的严密性、再现性和实验的转换性，导致研究数量减少 动物需要解决复杂的研究问题；2)通过全天候提供 监测，提醒调查人员注意动物健康或笼养环境的问题；以及3)改进 通过简化动物护理的日程安排，为GNAC工作人员在畜牧业实践中进行时间管理 相关任务及物资的准备和轮换。我们建议的计划的成功完成将在很大程度上 使使用该设施的所有调查人员受益，帮助最大限度地利用有限资源并改进 通过提供前所未有的对环境和动物的持续监测，实现动物研究的重复性 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.