IMPROVING ANIMAL RESOURCES FOR CANCER RESEARCH AT RPCI

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Department of Laboratory Animal Resources (DLAR) is responsible for laboratory animal care and use by investigators at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI). In June 2002, DLAR was granted full accreditation by the Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC International). DLAR provides specialized animal husbandry; veterinary medical care; animal health surveillance; diagnostic laboratory facilities; research technical services and resources including genetically defined mice; a surgical program and technician; and faculty training in support of more than 150 Institute Animal Care and Use Committee-approved animal use protocols. DLAR is experiencing significant constraints on space for holding mice, given the aggressive recruitment that has occurred at RPCI since 2000 and the increasing emphasis on genetic approaches to the study of cancer as a result of new technologies such as transgenics. This application requests $700,000 to 1) renovate superfluous laboratory space within the existing footprint of DLAR to accommodate the developing Experimental Mouse Tumor Models Facility and holding areas for mice undergoing sequential imaging in the adjacent Preclinical MR Imaging Facility; 2) purchase of microisolater caging on ventilated racks (MIC) with automatic watering (AW) for rodents; 3) cleaning equipment; 4) an upgraded computerized environmental monitoring system, and 5) biological safety cabinets. The number of rodents in DLAR has increased 47% in the last year from 19,400 in January 2002 to 28,542 in January 2003. This trend is expected to continue. The immediate and urgent need to increase the density of rodent holding with the DLAR footprint can be addressed by the proposed renovations and the installation of MIC in the renovated area. Each MIC replacement will increase miceholding by 100 (80 x 100 = 8,000 additional mice). Automatic watering has proven to be a reliable and efficient technology which provides water on demand with cost savings in labor. An upgrade of the computerized environmental monitoring system will allow printouts to be available for multiple data points for the vivarium area in the Medical Research Complex and the proposed renovations in the vivarium area in the Cancer Cell Center. The requested Biological Safety Cabinets will ensure high husbandry standards in the renovated area.