Acquisition of a Tunnel Washer and Associated A&R Improvements

描述（由申请人提供）：内森克莱恩精神病学研究所（NKI）是纽约州精神卫生办公室下属的多学科研究机构，隶属于纽约大学医学院。NKI开展广泛的研究，包括对主要精神疾病（如精神分裂症、阿尔茨海默病）病因的基础和临床研究，以及对治疗方法的评估。NKI的许多资助研究项目依赖于实验研究动物（传统和转基因小鼠、大鼠和非人类灵长类动物）的使用。NKI的实验动物资源在过去六年中迅速扩大，现在需要购买一台隧道清洗机，以保持其大量动物种群的健康和设施的平稳高效运行所需的高标准卫生。种群数量的增加（从六年前的每日8000只增加到目前的19000只，并计划进一步增加）以及特定无病原体（SPF）住房和手术室的建立使我们目前的卫生能力达到极限。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research (NKI) is a multidisciplinary research institute within the New York State Office of Mental Health and is affiliated with the NYU School of Medicine. NKI conducts a broad array of research, including basic and clinical studies of the causes of major mental illnesses (e.g., schizophrenia, Alzheimers Disease) and the evaluation of treatments. Numerous funded research programs at NKI rely on the use of experimental research animals (conventional and transgenic mice, rats, and non-human primates). NKI's Laboratory Animal Resource has expanded rapidly in the last six years and now requires the acquisition of a tunnel washer to maintain the high standards of sanitation needed to keep its large animal populations healthy and the facility functioning smoothly and efficiently. The increased population (from a daily census of 8,000 mice six years ago to 19,000 at present, with further planned increases) and the establishment of specific pathogen-free (SPF) housing and procedure rooms has stretched our present sanitation capacities to their limit. We are also requesting alteration and renovation funds for the renovation of a small area adjacent to our cage-wash suite, to include a new epoxy floor to repair damage and to tie this area and the cage-wash suite together. The A&R work will improve conditions for temporary dirty equipment staging, facilitate pre-cleaning chores, and optimize caging equipment sanitation and the efficiency of the requested tunnel washer. The requested equipment and A&R will enhance NKI's efforts to seek AAALAC accreditation successfully in the near future.