Expansion of Biocontainment (ABSL2) Animal Housing

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案应蒙大拿州立大学（MSU）动物资源中心（ARC）的要求，为涉及动物的生物安全二级研究项目（ABSL2）增加急需的住房和程序空间。这笔拨款的目标是：1)将目前生物安全二级动物住房和程序空间增加一倍以上；2)在从生物安全二级住房区域移除物品之前，提供一种可靠的消毒方法。该赠款的目标将通过以下方式实现：1)升级目前用于生物安全一级住房的七个房间的通风系统，导致单通道，非再循环空气处理和空气压差对设施的其余部分为负；2)更换过时，不可靠和不安全的高压灭菌器。该资助提案的其他好处包括：1)妥善安置和处理感染了生物安全等级2剂的动物，以及2)在进行高压灭菌器装卸时降低受伤风险，从而提高人员安全。该授权中概述的改造和设备更新是MSU遵守ABSL2法规要求的最经济和最有效的方法。这项拨款申请将使可用的ABSL2住房空间增加一倍以上，而无需扩建或建造。由于密歇根州立大学的大多数资助动物研究都要求传染病工作的生物安全水平至少达到2级，因此这一要求将直接使许多NIH资助的研究人员受益。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal is a request by Montana State University (MSU) Animal Resources Center (ARC) to increase much needed housing and procedural space for biosafety level two research projects involving animals (ABSL2). The objectives of this grant are to 1) more than double the current biosafety level two animal housing and procedural space, and 2) provide a reliable method of decontaminating items prior to removal from the biosafety level two housing area. The objectives of the grant will be met by 1) upgrading the current ventilation system in seven rooms now used for biosafety level one housing, resulting in single-pass, non-recirculating air handling and an air pressure differential that is negative to the remainder of the facility, and 2) replacing an outdated, unreliable and unsafe autoclave. Additional benefits from this funding proposal include increased personnel safety through 1) properly housing and handling animals infected with biosafety level two agents, and 2) decreasing the risk of injury when performing autoclave loading and unloading. The renovation and equipment updates outlined in this grant are the most economical and efficient method for MSU to comply with ABSL2 regulatory requirements. This grant request will more than double the usable ABSL2 housing space without having to expand or build. Since the majority of grant funded animal research at MSU requires a minimum of biosafety level two for infectious disease work, this request will directly benefit many NIH funded researchers.