Laboratory Animal Resource Improvements - Utah State University

描述（由申请方提供）：实验动物研究中心（LARC）是犹他州州立大学（USU）校园内唯一可用于饲养和护理实验动物的机构。LARC的目标是为饲养在其中的动物提供高于联邦法规和认证机构设定的标准的护理水平，同时保持实验室动物、研究人员和工作人员的健康和安全。另一个目标是为使用该设施的研究人员提供实现研究目标的手段，并在生物医学，营养和行为科学领域产生有意义的研究成果。 本申请要求资金用于购买设备，以使LARC能够实施集中和统一有效的研究动物护理计划，以支持PHS资助的研究计划。具体目标包括购置设备，以改善和扩大我们的啮齿动物饲养系统，增加动物饲养密度，提高啮齿动物生存手术能力，改善卫生和去污程序，扩大和加强我们目前的动物健康 监测计划，并提供新的研究工具，以加强正在进行的和未来的研究项目。 完成本申请中描述的改进将增强参与PHS资助研究的USU研究动物的动物健康和福利，通过改进诊断和疾病控制增强中央动物护理计划，并有助于遵守USDA、PHS和AAALAC动物护理和福利标准。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Laboratory Animal Research Center (LARC) is the only facility on the Utah State University (USU) campus available for the housing and care of laboratory animals. The objective of the LARC is to provide the animals housed therein with a level of care above the standards set by federal regulations and accrediting agencies while maintaining the health and safety of laboratory animals, researchers, and staff. An additional objective is to provide the investigators using the facility with the means to achieve research goals and produce meaningful research results in the fields of biomedical, nutritional, and behavioral sciences. This application requests funds for the purchase of equipment intended to allow the LARC to implement a centralized and uniformly effective program of research animal care in support of PHS funded research programs. Specific aims include the acquisition of equipment to improve and expand our rodent housing system, increase animal housing density, improve rodent survival surgery capabilities, improve sanitation and decontamination procedures, expand and enhance our current animal health surveillance program, and offer new research tools to investigators to strengthen ongoing and future research projects. Completion of the improvements described in this application will enhance animal health and welfare for research animals at USU involved in PHS funded research, enhance the central animal care program through improved diagnostics and disease control, and assist in complying with USDA, PHS, and AAALAC standards of animal care and welfare.