Developing and Improving Institutional Animal Resources

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application seeks support for a Hydropac watering system for rodents and for a Gammacell 40 irradiator. Both pieces of equipment will be installed in the Research Support Building, a five-story animal facility that will open later this year. The Hydropac system will allow provision of filtered, treated water in plastic pouches to animals in individual cages. The system will provide bacteria-free water, reduce animal morbidity and mortality due to water system failures, significantly reduce costs especially those associated with labor, and ensure availability of high-quality water in emergency situations. Because pouches will be distributed to the other facilities on campus where rodents are housed, over 120 federally-funded investigators (representing over $260 million dollars in research funding) will benefit from this system. The Gammacell 40 irradiator will provide a dedicated, animal irradiator maintained within an animal facility. The availability of a biosafety cabinet adjacent to the unit will allow animals to be transferred between filtered cages and filtered exposure chambers without exposing them to pathogens. Personnel exposure to animal allergens or infectious agents will also be minimized. In summary, this proposal contributes to our mission of providing and maintaining consistently high quality, healthy animals for UAB research, testing, and teaching program, assuring care of animals consistent with the standards of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, providing a safe and healthy workplace for personnel, and containing program costs.