Core B: Animal Core and Germ-Free Mouse Core

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Project Summary / Abstract – Animal Care and Germ-Free Mouse Core The Animal Care and Germ-Free Mouse Core of the Michigan MPMOD will play a central role in the management of animal flow through the Center’s MPB Phenotyping Core from initial acquisition to final disposition of imported mice. Both the Core Director and Associate Director are veterinarians and diplomates of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine. Specific functions of the Animal Care and Germ-Free Mouse Core include the coordination of mouse importation, quarantine, and environmental testing for a panel of murine pathogens, as well as providing housing, husbandry, and veterinary care of mice in accordance with the MPMOD (Administrative Core) guidelines. Research services such as hands-on technical support and germ-free technology and expertise will be unique components of our Core. Germ-free C57BL/6J, C57BL/6NCrl, BALB/c, and Swiss-Webster mice as well as several genetically engineered strains will be available to MPMOD investigators. In addition, investigators may import germ-free mice from other institutions or request rederivation of new germ-free strains. Experimental manipulations available for germ-free and SPF mice include routine treatments, sample collections, and in-house analysis (blood, feces, urine, etc.), training, and experimental design consultation, among others. Goals of the Animal Care and Germ-Free Mouse Core are to provide the highest level of health and well-being as well as veterinary expertise for all research animals in our USDA-certified and AAALAC-accredited facilities. All Core services will be performed under University of Michigan IACUC approved protocols. All SPF mice will be housed in Allentown ventilated racks. Germ-free or gnotobiotic mice will be maintained in flexible-film isolators or Tecniplast Isocage racks. Barrier conditions including cage changing in vertical laminar flow changing stations, strict adherence to microisolator techniques, and use of isolated rooms for colony segregation will assure maintenance of pathogen-free animals. The Animal Core will also provide oversight for technical support such as dose administration, obtaining body weights, fasting, glucose levels, providing and monitoring special diets, and transfer of mice to and from ULAM housing to the laboratories of the MPB Phenotyping Core.