Laboratory mouse identification and inventory control

项目简介：实验室小鼠是现代生物医学研究的重要实验资源。科学家目前使用数百种小鼠品种和品系，每年产生超过1000万只动物。NIH每年有数千万美元的资金用于支持小鼠模型研究，其中数百万美元直接用于维持动物群体。鼠标识别和库存控制系统还没有发展到满足现有的需求。因此，小鼠的使用效率往往很低，购买、繁殖和饲养的动物过多。同样重要的是，没有记录的、丢失的或错误识别的动物可能会危及有价值的实验。拟议的工作将产生一个低成本的，综合库存系统的连续监测个别研究小鼠。零售商店、医院和航运公司中的现有库存控制系统很容易在复杂、动态的环境中跟踪单个单元。因此，库存系统开发的广泛工程基础设施在商业上是可用的。拟议的系统将满足小鼠饲养设施、动物处理人员、兽医和研究人员的要求。该系统有3个组成部分：（1）永久性和廉价的单个动物的机器可读标签;（2）与动物处理环境兼容且错误率低的自动读取器;以及（3）与动物设施和研究人员兼容的库存数据库和查询结构。为了证明系统的可行性，第一阶段STTR将开发和测试组件（1）和（2）的工程解决方案。无线电和光学探测耳标和尾标将设计，建造和测试。初始测试将使用耳朵和尾部组织模型，然后进行体内长期相容性和稳定性测试。与此同时，标签阅读器将被构建和测试。对于这两个组成部分，具体参数是与潜在用户协商确定的。与公共卫生的相关性：实验室动物是NIH研究中人类健康和疾病的重要模型。动物研究的质量和有效管理影响着许多NIH研究所和中心的项目。动物库存的改善对于控制和完善小鼠研究成本以及最大限度地减少生产和维持的动物数量至关重要。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Project Summary: The laboratory mouse is an essential experimental resource for modern biomedical research. Scientists currently use hundreds of varieties and strains of mice, and generate over 10 million individual animals each year. Tens of millions of dollars of NIH funding annually support mouse model research, with millions directly allocated to the maintenance of animal colonies. Mouse identification and inventory control systems have not advanced to meet the existing demand. As a result, mice are often used inefficiently, with excess animals purchased, bred, and maintained. Of equal importance, undocumented, lost, or incorrectly identified animals can compromise valuable experiments. The proposed work will produce a low-cost, integrated inventory system for the continuous monitoring of individual research mice. Existing inventory control systems in retail stores, hospitals, and shipping firms readily track individual units in complex, dynamic environments. Consequently, an extensive engineering infrastructure for inventory system development is commercially available. The proposed system will address the requirements of mouse housing facilities, animal-handling staff, veterinarians, and research investigators. The system has 3 components: (1) machine-readable labels for individual animals that are permanent and inexpensive; (2) automated readers that are compatible with the animal handling environment and have low error rates; and (3) an inventory database and query structure compatible with animal facilities and research investigators. To demonstrate the feasibility of the system, the Phase I STTR will develop and test engineering solutions for components (1) and (2). Radio-and optical-detection ear tags and tail tags will be designed, constructed, and tested. Initial testing will use models of ear and tail tissue, followed by in vivo testing for long-term compatibility and stability. In parallel, tag readers will be built and tested. For both components, specific parameters are defined in consultation with the potential users. Relevance to public health: Laboratory animals serve as critical models of human health and disease in NIH research. The quality and efficient management of animal research influences programs across many NIH Institutes and Centers. Improvements in animal inventory are essential for the control and refinement of mouse research costs, as well as minimizing the number of animals that are produced and maintained.