Enhancement of Rat Housing at The Ohio State University

 描述(由申请者提供)：俄亥俄州立大学(OSU)要求提供资金购买动物护理设备，以加强生物医学研究的进行，并在优化动物福利的同时提高监管合规性。具体来说，我们要求499,133美元购买18个实验室产品超级大鼠微型隔离器(R)40个IVC机架，带自动水、HEPA过滤空气供应单元、带滤嘴的完整笼子，以及额外的50%完整的笼子，为日常的笼子更换提供足够的供应。该项目的目的是在现有隔间内装备啮齿动物住房，该隔间已经具备必要的管道和自动供水、电气、暖通空调、笼子清洗等能力，而不需要任何额外的翻新、改动或固定设备。俄亥俄州立大学致力于维护NIH对适当居住空间的期望，同时也考虑到动物的社会需求。这在我们最近的国际实验动物保护协会(AAALAC，INT)的协会和认可中被注意到了。实地考察和最近两次半年度的机构动物保护和使用检查报告显示，大型老鼠被单独饲养在我们的设施中。《照顾和使用实验动物指南》中建议的老鼠最小空间要求增加与动物大小相关的地板空间。然而，我们目前的老鼠笼养要求成熟的大鼠单独饲养，以保持遵守指南的标准。所要求的设备将允许增加每个笼子的占地面积，从而能够为不同大小的老鼠提供社会住房。这不仅对动物福利至关重要，而且对我们机构的生物医学研究支持也有重大影响，因为 已经证明，不能满足动物的需求可能会导致大脑发育异常、生理功能障碍和行为障碍。所要求的设备将使在俄亥俄州立大学使用老鼠模型的所有调查人员受益。目前有59名研究人员安置了大鼠，他们获得了超过12,338,000美元的直接研究资金，包括但不限于心血管、代谢、胎儿发育、行为和神经生理学等学科的研究。现有设备的年限和状况，再加上由于规模限制而无法提供最佳的社会住房，因此有必要提出这一要求。由于无法利用资本支出购买设备，因此也需要这项提议。该项目对于满足我们动物研究界的战略需求，同时协调俄亥俄州立大学在动物福利方面的卓越承诺具有重要意义。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Ohio State University (OSU) requests funding to purchase animal care equipment to enhance the conduct of biomedical research as well as increase regulatory compliance while optimizing animal welfare. Specifically, we are requesting $499,133 to purchase 18 Lab Products Super Rat MicroIsolator(r) 40 IVC racks with auto water, HEPA-filtered air supply units, complete cages with filter tops, and an additional 50% complete cages to provide sufficient supplies for routine cage changes. This project is intended to equip rodent housing rooms within an existing vivarium which already possesses the necessary plumbing and auto water, electrical, HVAC, cage wash, etc. capabilities without requiring any additional renovations, alterations, or fixed equipment. OSU is committed to upholding the NIH expectation regarding appropriate housing space while also accounting for the animals' social needs. It was noted on our most recent Association and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC, Int.) site visit and the last two semi-annual Institutional Animal Care and Use inspection reports that large rats were individually housed at our facility. The recommended minimum space for rats in The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals requires increased floor space with respect to animal size. However, our current rat caging requires that mature rats be housed individually to maintain compliance with Guide standards. The requested equipment will allow for increased floor space per cage, resulting in the ability to provide social housing of rats regardless of size. This is essential not only in ters of animal welfare, but also significantly impacts biomedical research support at our institution as it has been demonstrated that failure to meet animals' needs may result in abnormal brain development, physiologic dysfunction, and behavioral disorders. The requested equipment will benefit all investigators utilizing rat models at OSU. There are currently 59 researchers housing rats that have generated grants providing over $12,338,000 in direct research funding encompassing, but not limited to, cardiovascular, metabolic, fetal development, behavioral, and neurophysiological disciplines of study. The age and condition of current equipment in conjunction with the inability to provide optimal social housing due to size limitations to maintai regulatory compliance necessitates the need for this request. This proposal is also needed due to the inability to utilize capital expenditures for equipment purchases. This project is significat in addressing the strategic needs of our animal research community while aligning OSU's commitment to excellence in animal welfare.