Expansion of Rodent Biocontainment at the University of Missouri

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This project requests $500,000 to increase rodent biocontainment housing capacity at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Expanding infectious disease research programs in the Departments of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, and Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, have created a critical need for additional rodent biocontainment housing. Also, the Regional Biocontainment Laboratory (RBL) on campus is scheduled to open this year; more Animal Biosafety Level 2 (ABSL-2) space will be needed to support the ABSL-3 research conducted in the RBL. At present there is only one rodent biocontainment suite available, located in the College of Veterinary Medicine. This project requests funds to renovate existing vivarium space and to purchase and install equipment which will expand biocontainment housing capacity for rodents from 250 cages in 160 net square feet to a total of 991 cages (~400% increase) in 742 net square feet (464% increase). The space renovated by this application will be used to house rodents experimentally infected with either rodent pathogens or potential human pathogens or rodents receiving xenografts, at the ABSL-2 level. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE (provided by applicant): Biocontainment space is needed to safely study infectious organisms such as Streptococcus Group A, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, and Listeria monocytogenes, all of which can infect humans, causing such diseases as strep throat, impetigo, and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome; miscarriage, hydrocephalus and other birth defects; and food-borne illness.