EXPANSION AND CENTRALIZATION OF AQUATIC ANIMAL HOUSING

描述（由申请人提供）： 马萨诸塞州大学医学院（UMMS）有一个快速增长的研究计划，使用水生动物。最近开放的水生核心是为斑马鱼设计的，满足了使用该物种的两名调查人员的需求。然而，随着第三位教师的到来，第四位新教师也是斑马鱼的主要用户，以及非常积极地招募更多的研究人员，UMMS认识到需要为斑马鱼和其他水生物种扩展水生核心。 UMMS建议扩大现有的水生核心，为斑马鱼提供额外的空间，并集中非洲爪蟾，蟾蜍和海洋无脊椎动物的住房。非洲爪蟾目前被安置在三个地点，蟾蜍和海洋无脊椎动物被安置在卫星设施中。爪蟾的空间非常有限。该提案还将提供为这些动物提供住所和生命支持所需的设备，以及有限的常用研究设备。 如果获得资助，该提案将为上述动物提供最先进的集中饲养设施，大大提高水生动物护理的效率，并提供所有水生动物研究人员使用所需的科学设备。它还将监测斑马鱼和非洲爪蟾的直接水生环境，以及所有物种的室内环境。同样重要的是，它将使UMMS研究人员能够进行大量的斑马鱼遗传筛选和杂交，这是其整个斑马鱼研究工作的关键部分。所要求的基本研究设备将供斑马鱼和非洲爪蟾用户使用，并将大大加强UMMS水生动物研究。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) has a rapidly growing research program using aquatic animals. The recently opened Aquatic Core was designed for zebra fish and met the needs of the two investigators using that species. However, with the arrival of a third faculty member who is a major zebrafish user, the pending arrival of a fourth new faculty member who is also a heavy zebrafish user, and the very active recruiting for additional research faculty, UMMS recognizes the need to expand the Aquatic Core for both zebrafish and other aquatic species. UMMS proposes to expand the existing the Aquatic Core to provide additional space for zebrafish and to centralize the housing of Xenopus, Bufo and marine invertebrates. Xenopus are currently housed at three sites and Bufo and marine invertebrates are at satellite facilities. Xenopus space is very limited. This proposal will also provide for the equipment necessary to house and provide the life support for these animals, and limited common-use research equipment. This proposal, if funded, will provide state of the art centralized housing facilities for the above noted animals, vastly increase the efficiency of aquatic animal care, and provide needed scientific equipment for use by all aquatic animal researchers. It will also provide for the monitoring of the immediate aquatic environment of zebrafish and Xenopus, and the room environment for all species. Equally important, it will enable UMMS researchers to perform the large number of zebrafish genetic screens and crosses which are a critical part of its overall zebrafish research effort. The requested basic research equipment will be used by both zebrafish and Xenopus users and will significantly augment UMMS aquatic animal research.