Modernization of Housing for the Peromyscus Genetic Stock Center, an International Research Resource

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Modernization of Housing for the Peromyscus Genetic Stock Center For over 60 years, the University of South Carolina (UofSC) has maintained the Peromyscus Genetic Stock Center (PGSC), a unique international research resource utilized by many NIH-funded scientists from a variety of disciplines including genetics, epigenetics, developmental biology, and transmission of infectious disease. The mission of the PGSC is to maintain colonies of various species of outbred, genetically diverse deer mice (genus Peromyscus) and distribute them to investigators around the world. Today, we actively maintain six different closed specific pathogen free (SPF) colonies. The PGSC is the only living stock collection in the world that maintains and supplies Peromyscus mice. The PGSC originally housed Peromyscus in open-top, opaque polypropylene housing. In 2010, microisolator tops were incorporated along the use of HEPA-filtered changing stations and biosafety cabinets to protect personnel from allergens and improve the health status of the colony. Endemic infections were eliminated to generate SPF Peromyscus mice for research. In 2019, the PGSC began conducting pilot studies to evaluate the effects of IVC housing on various Peromyscus species. After housing Peromyscus mice for over two years on IVC housing, we have determined that: 1. Peromyscus exhibit no adverse effects from being housed on IVC racks 2. Peromyscus maintained or improved breeding efficiency on IVC racks 3. IVC housing resolved health conditions that were believed to be normal for the species. The PGSC wishes to convert the entire colony to IVC housing. We are requesting funds to purchase additional IVC housing sufficient to convert the remainder of the PGSC colony from static microisolator housing. Modernization of the housing conditions in this international research resource will: 1. Protect personnel from allergens and potential pathogens 2. Increase biosecurity and protect the SPF status of the animals 3. Allow expansion of colony size due to increased housing capacity while maintaining the same footprint 4. Significantly increase operational efficiency of the PGSC