ANIMAL RESOURCE IMPROVEMENT

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The MU School of Medicine (SM), is covered under a single Biomedical Research Support Grant (BRSG), and is the institution for which animal facilities improvements support is requested in accordance with instructions on page 3 of RFA RR-91-01. Accordingly, the large and diverse MU animal resources, which are typical of land grant universities, although mentioned, are described only briefly. However, all MU animal resources are unified under a coordinated, campus-wide plan for improvement of animal resources and are operated under the oversight of a single ACUC. In fact, the operation of the majority of animal resources, other than those for agricultural research, are administratively centralized under the Office of Laboratory Animal Medicine in the MU Office of Research. The improvements requested are of particular importance because of the pivotal role of the SM animal resource in the overall MU animal resource program. In addition, the improvements will help achieve campus-wide AAALAC accreditation by helping to retain accreditation in the SM while conserving other MU fiscal resources for improvements in facilities preparing for accreditation. The SM animal resource is accredited by AAALAC and substantively meets standards of the Guide and Animal Welfare Act. However, there are physical plant and equipment deficiencies that impede the animal care program and facilities that are not optimally appropriate for current and projected applications. Two of the three proposed alteration and renovation projects will help correct specific deficiencies that impede the animal care program and the other will upgrade part of the facilities to assure compliance with pending standards for laboratory housing farm animals for biomedical research. The first project will replace an old, underdesigned, and deteriorated cage wash facility with a modern, well equipped facility for sanitizing animal care equipment, and includes purchase and installation of a new cage/rack washer and bottle washer/filler. A second project will modernize three animal rooms which are of outmoded design and in poor repair. The remaining project will refurbish five rooms, previously used to house livestock species, to standards recommended for laboratory animals. This project includes the purchase and installation of 10 stainless steel pens for optimal housing of swine.