Conversion of Bryan Cagewash Area to Rodent Housing Space

杜克大学致力于科学研究及其翻译，以改善人类健康，其中包括 在研究中适当使用动物。2019年，杜克完成了最新的杜克动物总体规划 计划显示现有研究人员和未来新兵的啮齿动物空间不足，使用保守派 人口普查增长预测。在2020财年，杜克大学的研究人员要求大量使用啮齿动物物种，并 负责美国国立卫生研究院每年超过1.09亿美元的直接费用，用于研究 啮齿动物。杜克大学的啮齿动物研究计划的力度预计将继续增长7% 每年一次。重要的是，目前的需求已经超过了产能。作为杜克大学最新硕士课程的一部分 计划扩大啮齿动物的居住空间，以满足当前和预计的研究需求，并使 重新利用腾出的空间，翻新洗笼设施，同时提供笼子和 在共享使用的布莱恩研究动物中心配备614净平方英尺(NSF)的辅助设施 设施(BRAF)正在规划中。该提案利用正在进行的、由机构资助的工作，以重新安置和 将杜克大学现有的啮齿动物洗笼设施更新到非现场位置(2022年开业，自动化， 节能设备)，使这项提案集中在翻新一个空置的洗碗池空间在一个 校园隔膜满足神经生物学和生物医学系日益增长的研究努力 生物工程中心(BME)以及活体显微镜中心(CIVM)。具体来说，我们建议 购买独立通风笼子(IVC)，以扩大共用BRAF中的老鼠住房， 它以独特而高效的方式运行，以支持独立和协作研究 啮齿动物。BRAF是一个现代化的隔膜，是成功实现其用户研究目标的理想之选 位于合作地点，在允许对啮齿动物进行纵向研究方面是独一无二的，特别是当动物 在被带到成像区域和研究实验室后，需要返回到他们的住房位置 包含对他们的研究目标至关重要的专门仪器。此外，该设施还支持 CIVM、神经生物学和BME研究人员对来自其他机构的啮齿动物进行研究的能力 而不必经历重新衍生或广泛的检疫期。BRAF是一种必不可少的动物 杜克大学研究计划中的设施，需要为现有和未来的研究人员提供额外的啮齿动物住所。AS 这一翻修是在现有的中央管理隔间内进行的，空间的运营和监督将 被无缝地纳入杜克大学的兽医、动物护理和管理结构 实验动物资源部(DLAR)。拟议的项目将利用机构投资。 增加啮齿动物住房容量，为基础、转换和临床前提供最先进的空间 对啮齿动物的研究。为了符合杜克大学对可持续发展的承诺， 共享使用的BRAF将满足杜克大学高性能建筑框架的要求。

Duke University is committed to scientific research and its translation to improve human health, which includes appropriate use of animals in research. In 2019, Duke completed an updated Master Plan for Duke’s animal program showing insufficient rodent space for existing researchers and future recruits using conservative census growth projections. In FY2020, Duke researchers required significant use of rodent species and were responsible for over $109 million in annual direct costs from the National Institutes of Health for research using rodents. The strength of Duke’s research programs with rodents is projected at the continued growth of 7% annually. Importantly, current demand already exceeds capacity. As an element of Duke’s updated Master Plan to expand housing space for rodents to meet current and projected research needs and to enable repurposing vacated space, renovation of a cagewash facility along with providing caging and ancillary items to equip 614 net square feet (nsf) located in the shared-use Bryan Research Animal Facility (BRAF) is planned. This proposal leverages ongoing, institutionally funded work to relocate and update Duke’s existing cagewash facilities for rodents to an off-site location (opening in 2022 with automated, energy-efficient equipment), allowing this proposal to focus on renovation of a vacated cagewash space in an on-campus vivarium to meet growing research efforts of the Departments of Neurobiology and Biomedical Engineering (BME) as well as the Center of In-Vivo Microscopy (CIVM). Specifically, we propose purchasing of individually ventilated cages (IVC) to expand mouse housing in the shared-use BRAF, which is uniquely and efficiently operated to support independent and collaborative research using rodents. The BRAF is a modern vivarium integral to the success of its users’ research objectives, is ideally located for collaborations, and is unique in permitting longitudinal studies of rodents, particularly when animals need to be returned to their housing location after being taken to imaging areas and researcher laboratories containing specialized instrumentation critical to their research objectives. In addition, this facility supports the ability of the CIVM, Neurobiology and BME researchers to conduct studies with rodents from other institutions without having to undergo re-derivation or an extensive quarantine period. The BRAF is an essential animal facility in Duke’s research program and needs additional rodent housing for current and future researchers. As this renovation is within an existing centrally managed vivarium, the operation and oversight of the space will be incorporated seamlessly into the veterinary medical, animal care, and administrative structure of Duke’s Division of Laboratory Animal Resources (DLAR). The proposed project will leverage institutional investments to increase rodent housing capacity and provide state-of-the-art space for basic, translational, and pre-clinical studies with rodents. In keeping with Duke’s commitment to sustainability, the renovation of vacated space in the shared-use BRAF will meet the requirements of Duke’s High-Performance Building framework.