Animal Resource Improvement at the University of Notre Dame

描述（由申请人提供）：对人类疾病的研究已被视为圣母大学（UND）的一个焦点。来自外部来源的资金在最近一个财政年度超过1亿美元;在过去的24个月内，该大学已承诺将8000万美元的内部资金用于新的综合研究计划，旨在解决我们时代一些最紧迫的问题。快速扩张的研究企业伴随着大学动物研究的类似增长。值得注意的是，对用于维持和利用水生物种的资源的需求大幅增加。这就特别需要提高和扩大我们容纳大量斑马鱼和非洲爪蟾（Xenopus laevis）的能力。虽然该大学在实验室动物护理方面享有盛誉，但某些核心设备的年龄和能力使其未来变得脆弱。为了满足这一需求，我们要求提供资金，以实现这些具体目标： 1.扩大斑马鱼的养殖能力，包括更换过时、老化的系统; 2.提高我们的能力，繁殖和饲养斑马鱼; 3.改善和扩大非洲爪蛙的住房; 4.加强我们监测斑马鱼和非洲爪蟾关键环境参数的能力 蛙房系统虽然我们目前容纳了大约170只非洲爪蟾蛙，但我们需要将容量增加到大约800 - 850只;斑马鱼的容量需要从目前的26，250只增加到大约35，000只。此外，目前的系统没有足够的监测能力，使动物和研究处于危险之中。此外，圣母大学IACUC已经注意到斑马鱼系统的一些组成部分的结构恶化。总之，这些弱点使我们不断扩大的研究计划处于危险之中。为了满足这一需求，我们建议用系统取代现有设备，以扩大爪蟾蛙和斑马鱼的容纳能力，并提高我们繁殖和饲养更多斑马鱼的能力。此外，拟议的升级将解决动物健康问题，并优化我们提供持续监测和应对环境参数的能力，这些参数是成功研究企业的关键。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Research into human disease has been embraced as a focal point for the University of Notre Dame (UND). Funding from external sources exceeded $100 million in the latest fiscal year; and the University has within the last 24 months committed $80 million of internal funding to new, integrated research initiatives designed to address some of the most pressing issues of our times. The rapidly expanding research enterprise has been accompanied by similar growth in animal research at the University. Notably, there has been an enormous expansion in the demand for resources for the maintenance and use of aquatic species. This has resulted in a particular need to improve and expand our capacity to house large numbers of zebrafish and African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis). While the University has a stellar reputation in laboratory animal care, the age and capacity of certain core equipment leaves the future of this vulnerable. To address this need we request funds to meet these specific objectives: 1. Expand the capacity for housing of zebrafish, including replacement of outdated, aging systems; 2. Increase our capacity for breeding and rearing zebrafish; 3. Improve and expand housing for African clawed frogs; and 4. Strengthen our ability to monitor key environmental parameters of the zebrafish and Xenopus frog housing systems. Though we currently house approximately 170 Xenopus frogs, we need to increase capacity to approximately 800-850; and zebrafish capacity needs to increase from the current 26,250 to approximately 35,000. Further, current systems have inadequate monitoring capability, placing animals and research at risk. In addition, the University of Notre Dame IACUC has noted structural deterioration of some components of the zebrafish system. Together, these weaknesses put our expanding research programs in peril. To address the need, we propose to replace the existing equipment with systems that will expand housing capacity for both Xenopus frogs and zebrafish and increase our ability to breed and raise greater numbers of zebrafish. Further, the proposed upgrade will address animal health issues and optimize our ability to provide continuous monitoring of, and response for, environmental parameters key to a successful research enterprise.