South Biomedical Science Tower Vivarium Refurbishment Project

描述（由申请人提供）：匹兹堡大学实验动物资源部门（DLAR）是提供高质量的人道动物护理服务和支持大学动物研究项目的核心资源。DLAR包括16个独立的动物设施，分布在奥克兰大学校园20英里半径内的7个不同社区，包括南生物医学科学塔（S-BST），如果获得资助，它将是本次申请资金的主题。这项拨款申请的具体目的是申请50万美元的资金，以改善S-BST动物园9楼S9A和S9B走廊相邻的大型动物住房和程序空间的容量、条件和质量，总面积为5,439平方英尺。容量将通过将最近在DLAR内搬迁的水生项目腾出的房间转换为灵活的大型动物住房区域来扩大，该区域将采用可移动的大型动物笼子系统，可以轻松配置以容纳各种大型动物物种。购买移动笼子系统不属于本拨款申请的一部分。通过重新铺设老化的地板和更换过时和老化的笼子系统，情况将得到改善。将增加一个吊顶悬挂系统，以便更好地放置适合物种的心理富集装置、监测装置，并悬挂静脉输液用的袋和管，从而提高质量。这一改进将使匹兹堡大学健康科学学院开展动物生物医学研究的众多研究人员受益。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Division of Laboratory Animal Resources (DLAR) at the University of Pittsburgh is a core resource that provides high quality humane animal care services and support for the animal- based research programs at the University. The DLAR comprises 16 separate animal facilities spread out among seven different neighborhoods within a 20 mile radius of the Oakland campus of the University, including the South Biomedical Science Tower (S-BST) which is the subject of this request for funds if awarded. The specific aim of this grant application is to request funds in the amount of $500,000 to improve the capacity, condition and quality of the large animal housing and procedure space contiguous to Corridors S9A and S9B on the 9th floor of the S-BST vivarium which totals 5,439 square feet. Capacity will be expanded by converting a room recently vacated by an aquatics program that relocated within the DLAR for use as a flexible large animal housing area that will employ mobile large animal caging systems that can be easily configured to accommodate a variety of large animal species. Acquisition of the mobile caging systems is not part of this grant application. Conditions will be improved by resurfacing deteriorated flooring and replacing outmoded and deteriorating caging systems. Quality will be improved by adding a ceiling mounted suspension system to allow for improved placement of species appropriate psychological enrichment devices, monitoring devices, and for suspension of bags and tubing for the intravenous administration of fluids. This improvement will benefit a broad array of investigators conducting animal-based biomedical research throughout the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences.