Caltech Animal Facility Improvement Grant

描述（由申请人提供）： 该提案的总体目标是获得资金购买单独通风的小鼠笼（IVC）系统，以满足加州理工学院对转基因小鼠住房空间的快速增长的需求，以支持生物科学倡议计划。重点是提供一个无病原体的控制环境，适合维持实验和育种的遗传改变小鼠的殖民地，其中一些是严重的免疫功能低下。根据现有教师对当前和预期小鼠住房需求的调查，五年内小鼠数量增加100%的历史证据，分配给生物科学的总空间扩大40%，未来2年内生物科学中增加了几个新的教师职位，以及涉及使用转基因小鼠的校外资金的持续增长，预计加州理工学院的小鼠数量将继续快速增长。加州理工学院通过建造新的最先进的动物设施并购买初始启动设备来满足这一需求，例如机架和隧道清洗机、批量高压灭菌器、自动饮用水系统、动物转运站、生物安全程序罩和25个HEPA过滤单独通风小鼠笼系统（IVC）单元。该申请要求提供资金，以允许购买额外的23个小鼠IVC系统，以满足加州理工学院研究人员对遗传改变小鼠最佳住房的不断扩大的需求。具体目标：提供23个HEPA过滤的单独通风小鼠笼舍系统（IVC），以满足加州理工学院研究社区对转基因小鼠住房日益增长的需求。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The overall goal of this proposal is obtain funding to purchase individually ventilated mouse caging (IVC) systems to meet the rapidly expanding need for genetically altered mouse housing space at Caltech in support of the Biological Sciences Initiative Plan. Emphasis is placed on providing a pathogen-free controlled environment suitable for maintenance of experimental and breeding colonies of genetically altered mice some of which are severely immunocompromised. Based on a survey of current and anticipated mouse housing needs by existing faculty, historical evidence of a 100% increase in the mouse population over a five year period, expansion of total space allocated to the biological sciences by 40%, the addition of several new faculty appointments within the biological sciences within the next 2 years, and continued growth in extramural funding that involves the use of genetically altered mice, it is anticipated that the mouse population at Caltech will continue to grow at a rapid rate. Caltech has responded to this need through construction of a new state-of-the-art animal facility and purchase of initial start-up equipment such as rack and tunnel washers, a bulk autoclave, automatic drinking water system, animal transfer stations, biological safety procedure hoods, and 25 HEPA filtered individually ventilated mouse caging systems (IVC) units. This application requests funding to allow purchase of an additional 23 mouse IVC systems to meet the expanding needs of Caltech investigators for optimal housing for genetically altered mice. Specific aim: To provide 23 HEPA filtered individually ventilated mouse caging systems (IVC) to meet the increasing demand for genetically altered mouse housing by the Caltech research community.