Improvement of University of Oregon Animal Research Facilities

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Our goal is to expand and renovate core animal facilities at the University of Oregon (UO) to increase productivity and impact of PHS funded research, promote safety and welfare of research animals, researchers, and animal care staff, and expand a cryopreservation repository for genome-wide research. The UO is a pioneer in using fish models for research in vertebrate development, genetics, genomics, evolution, and genetic contributions to human disease. Because of this expertise, UO houses the Zebrafish International Resource Center (ZIRC). UO has begun to translate discoveries made in these models into mammals, with an ambitious program in mouse genetics, involving new hires and current junior and senior faculty. The success of UO research programs has put serious pressure on the Zebrafish, Stickleback, and Mouse Facilities, and on ZIRC. We propose to alleviate this pressure by a synergistic program of construction, renovation, and equipment purchase, including innovative sustainable design strategies to increase energy savings. (1) We propose new construction, renovation, and purchase of new aquaculture equipment in our Zebrafish Facility. This will increase the number of lines we can maintain and improve work flow efficiency. (2) We propose renovation of existing space and purchase of new equipment to establish a new Stickleback Facility. The new facility will complement our very small existing facility that houses the only inbred lines worldwide, increase the number of lines we can maintain, and improve work flow. (3) We propose to purchase equipment for a new Mouse Facility in a building UO is constructing. This will increase the number of lines we can maintain, alleviate stress on the mice, and enable several senior faculty to expand their research programs to include mice. (4) We propose to purchase new cryopreservation equipment for ZIRC. This equipment will be housed in a building UO is constructing adjacent to ZIRC. Recent technological breakthroughs are enabling researchers to mutate and functionally annotate every zebrafish gene. The new equipment will allow ZIRC to cryopreserve sperm from the extensive genetic and genomic resources created by this effort.