Enhancing Vivarium Efficiency and Safety at South Dakota State University with a Modernized Pass-Through Autoclave

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Project Summary/Abstract The shared-use animal research facility (vivarium) at South Dakota State University (SDSU) aims to improve occupational health and safety of staff and support growing the capacity and variety of biomedical research with the installation of a modern, large capacity pass-through autoclave. The current small, single-door model autoclave is near end-of-life with 20+ years of service and increased maintenance costs. This increased risk of failure or extended downtime due to maintenance could jeopardize research projects, including those supported by a $10.8 million NIH COBRE Phase 1 award. The SDSU vivarium supports research across multiple disciplines from biology, chemistry, and pharmacy to veterinary medicine and animal science. Among those supported by NIH, SDSU investigators currently lead 10 projects with $5.3+ million in active awards (NIH RePORTER, accessed Nov. 4, 2022). More than half of this funding supports investigators who currently use the vivarium for their research. The vivarium’s modernization effort is driven by not only the needs of NIH-funded investigators’ but of the overall needs of investigators using the shared-use facility. The university has responded with investing in and prioritizing infrastructure for biomedical research needs. Specifically, the 33,495-square foot facility supports BSL1, BSL2, BSL 2+ (BSL = Biological Safety Levels) and gnotobiotic animal research programs for the university and surrounding research community. The university veterinarian, the vivarium manager, and technicians work directly with researchers in daily and on-going research support needs. Services include a range of options from basic animal care and breeding colony management to complete gnotobiotic and surgical services. The university’s strategic priority of improving research infrastructure guides the modernization of the facility in recent years and has required a high level of oversight and management by the university veterinarian and vivarium staff. In modernizing the autoclave, a core piece of equipment, the vivarium will increase efficiencies in biosecurity, animal welfare and compliance, staff labor and support services, equipment operations and maintenance. This will provide researchers more comprehensive use of the vivarium, opportunity for expanding their projects, and increased capacity to support the university’s growing biomedical research.