LAMb Request for Ventilated Cage Racks

活体动物研究是弗吉尼亚大学匹兹堡大学资助的研究的关键 医疗保健系统。这项建议的目的是为了获得购买通风笼子的资金 提供符合法规规范和最先进技术的畜牧业所需的机架 在新的动物研究设施(ARF)为家栖啮齿动物进行生物遏制。集成的 笼式系统有独特的规格，包括安装在Ecoflo鼓风机上的机架，HEPA Air 保持稳定环境的低速过滤器，负压排气真空室 最大限度地减少被污染的空气释放到房间，并使用更小的足迹 住房容量增加。所要求的笼子与房间尺寸相匹配 以及新工厂的排气系统。目前，退伍军人事务部和美国国立卫生研究院资助了10名研究人员 他们在退伍军人管理局的研究动物设施，这是一个改建的20世纪50年代的护理宿舍，没有 进行最先进的动物研究所需的许多能力和特点。由于 由于目前ARF的不足，8名额外的研究人员在 匹兹堡大学通过与其附属公司签订合同。随着新的区域合作框架的完成 以及安装现代化的、最先进的笼子系统，我们预计调查人员 目前在匹兹堡大学安置他们的动物的人将把他们的动物搬回 退伍军人事务部。因此，购买这些笼子是一项长期投资，旨在保留 现有和资助退伍军人管理局调查人员，并通过加强 我们动物研究机构的畜牧业质量和能力。

In vivo animal studies are essential to VA-funded research conducted at VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System. The Aim of this proposal is to obtain funds to purchase ventilated cage racks needed to provide husbandry compliant with regulatory specifications and state-of-the-art biocontainment for housing rodents at the new Animal Research Facility (ARF). The integrated cage systems have unique specifications including racks mounted on Ecoflo blowers, HEPA air filters at low velocity that maintain a stable environment, exhaust plenums that remain negative to the room minimizing that contaminated air is released to the room, and smaller footprints with increased housing capacity. The requested cages are compatible with the room dimensions and exhaust system of the new facility. Currently, 10 VA and NIH funded investigators house their research animals in the VA facility, which is a converted 1950s nursing quarters that lacks many capabilities and features needed to conduct state-of-the-art animal research. Due to the inadequacy of the current ARF, 8 additional investigators conduct animal studies at the University of Pittsburgh through a contract with the affiliate. With the completion of the new ARF and the installation of modern, state of the art caging systems, we anticipate that investigators who currently house their animals at the University of Pittsburgh will move their animals back to the VA. Thus, purchase of these cages represents a long-term investment aimed at retaining existing and funded VA investigators and attracting new VA investigators by enhancing the animal husbandry quality and capabilities of our Animal Research Facility.