Modernization of Salk's ABSL2 Facilities Through the Incorporation of Ventilated Caging

项目摘要 这是一项对索尔克研究所的小鼠动物生物安全2级（ABSL 2）设施进行现代化改造的提案， 通过用单独通风笼架（IVC）替换陈旧的静态笼进行生物学研究。 加上对ABSL 2动物收容室的拟议改造，这将使笼子的容量增加一倍， 使操作效率降低动物压力，提高严谨性和再现性， 实验结果。在索尔克的传统研究动物设施（CRAF）是一个ABSL 2套房， 包括一个220平方英尺的动物收容室。这个拘留室目前由三个小隔间组成 与公共空间相邻。每个隔间有一个双面搁架单元，可容纳 至112个静态小鼠笼，最多可容纳336个笼。鉴于大量的实验室 谁利用这个空间（54索尔克教师33），这个设施往往是在>80%的能力和实验室不得不推迟 学习，直到有空间。拟议中的项目将拆除百叶窗并安装高密度 Allentown NexGen MAX机架。增加的可用空间将容纳3个双面机架（192 每个笼）和1个单面机架（96个笼），容量增加一倍，达到672个笼。拟议 现代化还将改善小鼠的生活条件，减少小鼠所经历的压力，从而有助于 促进索尔克研究的严谨性和可重复性。不通风的笼子与空气质量差有关 并且需要频繁更换笼子，导致对小鼠的更大处理和对小鼠的更高水平的压力。 动物由于索尔克的湿度很高，笼子通常必须每周更换两次。切换到 通风的笼舍将使笼舍更换之间的时间延长至10-14天。此外，拟议的平面图 最大限度地减少了使用鼠标时滚动鼠标架的需要，从而减少了鼠标暴露在噪音和振动中的可能性。 因此，现代化的CRAF ABSL 2套件的一个关键特征是减少非实验性饲养 可能影响研究结果的变量。最后，改进这一设施是一个研究所， 优先考虑，因为小鼠ABSL 2工作是该研究所未来研究工作的中心，其中包括 癌症生物学、神经科学和衰老。这些项目中的研究人员使用，并经常开发， 尖端技术，需要ABSL 2设施来靶向和操纵特定的细胞类型， 小鼠模型。Salk长期致力于这些研究工作和相关的小鼠ABSL 2工作， 这反映在致力于征服癌症、神经科学和健康老龄化的筹款活动中。支持 在这些研究重点中，本建议旨在：1）用以下方法取代CRAF ABSL 2套件中的静态笼架 最先进的IVC机架，2）增加ABSL 2套件内的笼容量，以满足研究需求， 3）通过最小化小鼠ABSL 2研究的精确性和可重复性， 动物压力这种大大改进的小鼠ABSL 2共享资源将使索尔克研究人员能够继续 他们的突破性研究对广泛的科学领域产生了巨大的影响。

PROJECT SUMMARY This is a proposal to modernize mouse Animal Biosafety Level 2 (ABSL2) facilities at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies by replacing antiquated static cages with racks of individually ventilated cages (IVCs). Together with proposed renovations to the ABSL2 animal holding room, this will double cage capacity and enable operational efficiencies that reduce animal stress and improve the rigor and reproducibility of experimental outcomes. Within Salk’s Conventional Research Animal Facility (CRAF) is an ABSL2 suite, which includes a 220-ft2 animal holding room. This holding room is currently comprised of three small cubicles adjoined to a common space. Each cubicle holds one double-sided shelving unit capable of accommodating up to 112 static mouse cages, for a maximum of 336 cages in the holding room. Given the large number of labs who utilize this space (33 of 54 Salk faculty), this facility is often at >80% capacity and labs have had to delay studies until space becomes available. The proposed project removes the cubicles and installs high-density Allentown NexGen MAX racks. The increased useable floorspace will accommodate 3 double-sided racks (192 cages each) and 1 single-sided rack (96 cages), doubling the capacity to 672 cages. The proposed modernization will also improve living conditions and reduce stress experienced by the mice, thereby helping to promote rigor and reproducibility of Salk research. Non-ventilated cages are associated with poor air quality and require frequent cage changing, resulting in greater handling of the mice and higher levels of stress for the animals. Because humidity levels are so high at Salk, cages often must be changed twice a week. Switching to ventilated caging will extend the time between cage changes to 10–14 days. Further, the proposed floor plan minimizes the need to roll racks to access mice, thereby reducing mouse exposure to noise and vibration. Thus, a critical feature of the modernized CRAF ABSL2 suite is a reduction in non-experimental husbandry variables that could potentially affect research results. Finally, improvements to this facility are an Institute priority, as mouse ABSL2 work is at the center of the Institute’s future research endeavors, which include cancer biology, neuroscience, and aging. Researchers within each of these programs use, and often develop, cutting-edge technologies that require ABSL2 facilities to target and manipulate specific cell types within mouse models. Salk’s long-term commitment to these research efforts and associated mouse ABSL2 work is reflected in fundraising initiatives dedicated to conquering cancer, neuroscience, and healthy aging. In support of these research priorities, this proposal seeks to: 1) replace static cages within the CRAF ABSL2 suite with state-of-the-art IVC racks, 2) increase cage capacity within the ABSL2 suite to meet research demands for the foreseeable future, and 3) enhance the rigor and reproducibility of mouse ABSL2 research by minimizing animal stress. This vastly improved mouse ABSL2 shared resource will enable Salk researchers to continue their ground-breaking research that has so dramatically impacted a wide range of scientific fields.