Cagewash Renovation for Safety & Long-Term Research Support at The Salk Institute

描述(由申请人提供)：索尔克生物研究所是AAALAC认证的非营利性研究机构，致力于生命科学的基础发现、人类健康的改善和未来几代研究人员的培训。在客观衡量教员的贡献和他们的研究成果的影响方面，该研究所一直位居领先研究机构之列。系统神经科学、免疫生物学和微生物发病机制、干细胞生物学、行为科学和新陈代谢研究的主要研究社区由2个中央间隔室、一个平均维持13,000个笼子的屏障小鼠设施和一个传统的混合物种设施提供支持。最近，研究所赞助了几个项目，包括安装新的空气处理装置，自动床上用品分配器，以及翻新屏障机械空间，以及传统的洗罐设备、墙壁、地板和天花板。索尔克的职业健康和安全、设施服务部和动物资源部门已经评估了设施对员工安全和保护设备资本更新的持续关注。这项申请寻求资金，以改进间隔性病毒的安全性(过敏和人体工程学)，同时确保适当保护小鼠免受外来病原体的伤害。这些目标将通过购买和安装两个BioBubble(R)层流过敏原捕集站用于中央洗笼污染作业，并将30个生锈和变质的动物笼子更换为符合人体工程学的、高效、耐腐蚀的HEPA过滤技术动物转运站。这些产品为用户提供了灵活性和保护，同时为我们独特且不可替代的老鼠繁殖群体提供了可消毒的屏障保护。我们预计，能源消耗、人员个人防护和职业健康与安全相关成本的降低将进一步节省成本。资金将使我们能够重新分配充电资源，以继续翻新旧设备，并保持IACUC合规和AAALAC认证标准。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Salk Institute for Biological Studies is an AAALAC accredited, non-profit research institution devoted to making fundamental discoveries in the life sciences, the improvement of human health and the training of future generations of researchers. The Institute consistently ranks among the leading research institutions in objective measures of the contributions of faculty and the impact of their findings. A premier research community of systems neuroscience, immunobiology and microbial pathogenesis, stem cell biology, behavioral science, and metabolic research is supported by 2 centralized vivaria, a barrier mouse facility which maintains an average of 13,000 cages and a conventional mixed species facility. Recently, the Institute sponsored several projects including the installation of new air handling units, an automated bedding dispenser, and renovations of the barrier mechanical space, and conventional cagewash equipment, walls, floors, and ceilings. Salk's Occupational Health and Safety, Facility Services and the Animal Resources Departments have assessed ongoing facility concerns regarding staff safety and capital renewal of protective equipment. This application seeks funds to make vivaria safety improvements (allergy and ergonomic) while ensuring proper protection of mice from adventitial pathogens. These goals will be accomplished by purchase and installation of two bioBubble(R) laminar flow allergen capture stations for use within central cagewash soiled operations and replacement of 30 rusted and deteriorated animal cage changing stations with ergonomically friendly, high efficient, corrosive resistant, HEPA filtered Techniplast animal transfer stations. These offer user flexibility and protection while maintaining sanitizable, barrier protection for our unique and irreplaceable mouse breeding colonies. We anticipate additional savings from reduced energy consumption, personnel PPE and Occupational Health and Safety related costs. Funds will allow us to reallocate recharge resources to continue refurbishing older units and maintain IACUC compliance and AAALAC accreditation standards.