Improving Vivarium Cage Washing Facilities through Extra Capacity, Efficiency, an

描述(由申请人提供)：科罗拉多大学丹佛分校(CU Denver)的科罗拉多大学安舒茨医学院(CU Anschutz)是美国最先进和最新的生物医学研究中心之一，也是芝加哥、德克萨斯州和西海岸之间最大的生物医学研究中心。尽管最近削减了联邦资金和激烈的拨款竞争，CU Anschutz的CU Denver调查人员在赠款资金(每年超过4亿美元)方面继续得到很好的支持，大约三分之一的研究资金支持基于动物的研究。该项目的重点是更换研究综合体1(RC1)和围产期研究设施(PRF)中的笼式和机架垫圈，因为机械问题导致这两个单元都出现了严重的停机时间。使问题更加复杂的是，这两个单位所在的地点都是支持其所在地区的唯一单位，因此停机导致业务成本增加，因为必须洗手或将设备转移到其他单位。这些项目已被列入该大学和动物项目的资本设备项目清单，但在预算紧张的环境下，其他对该项目的合规性有直接影响的项目已被优先考虑。在RC1，拟议的RC1 Lynx 450LX机组将取代Steris 9500机组，该机组自2004年安装以来，过去一年44%的工作日没有运行，这大约是该机组的平均水平。它还将使该单元的容量翻一番，这将是50,000个NSF间隔室所需的。该项目需要拆除旧机组，安装更新、更可靠的机组，只需要很少的设备 两个工地都在施工。在RC1中，建议的单元是现有单元的两倍，因此需要将坑尺寸增加不到2英尺，并需要重建现有的路缘。然而，该项目不需要对工作区进行任何公用设施或其他重大修改。在PRF中，新的Lynx 410LX单元将取代已有30年历史的MTP 2100单元，由于其老化，维护问题一直在增加，而且成本越来越高。新单元将需要与现有机械区相关的少量现场工作将需要墙壁，但单元本身将被放置在现有的坑内，并 使用现有的实用程序连接。总体而言，该项目给难民营带来的好处是巨大的。这两个单元都将提供更高的效率，在RC1 Lynx 450LX的情况下，容量翻了一番。本申请中提出的这两个项目将对在CU Anschutz设施中饲养他们的动物的首席调查人员产生直接、重大的积极影响，并使他们在不必限制他们的研究努力的情况下保持对拨款的竞争力。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus (CU Anschutz) at the University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver) is one of the foremost and newest biomedical research centers in the country and is the largest center for biomedical research between Chicago, Texas, and the West Coast. Despite recent cuts in Federal Funding and the highly competitive grant race, CU Denver investigators at CU Anschutz have continued to be well supported with regards to grant funding (over $400 million annually) with approximately 1/3 of research funding supporting animal based research. This project focuses on replacing cage and rack washers in the Research Complex 1 (RC1) and the Perinatal Research Facility (PRF) due to mechanical issues that result in significant downtime for both units. The problem is compounded by the fact that both are in locations where they are the only unit supporting their areas, and so downtime results in increased operational costs as hand washing or movement of equipment to other units must be undertaken. These projects have been placed on a list of capital equipment projects for the university and the animal program but other projects that have a direct impact on the compliance of the program have taken priority in the tight budget climate. In RC1, the proposed RC1 LYNX 450LX unit will replace a Steris 9500 unit that was not operational 44% of the working days over the past year, which has been about average for this unit since its installation in 2004. It will also double the capacity of the unit, which will be needed in this 50,000 nsf vivarium. This project requires the removal of the old units and installation of newer, more reliable units and will only require minor construction at both sites. In RC1, the proposed unit is double the size of the existing unit and therefore the pit dimensions will need to be increased by less than 2 feet and the existing curb will need to be rebuilt. However, no utilities or other major modifications of the work area are required for this project. In the PRF, the new LYNX 410LX unit will replace a MTP 2100 unit that is 30 years old and has been having increasing maintenance problems due to its age that are becoming increasingly costly. The new unit will require minor site work related to the existing mechanical area walls will be required but the unit itself will be placed into the existing pit and use existing utility connections. Overall the benefits to this project are significant for the camps. Both units will provide greater efficiency and in the case of the RC1 LYNX 450LX, double the capacity. Both of these projects proposed in this application will have a direct, significant positive impact for the Principal Investigators that house their animals in CU Anschutz facilities and allow them to remain competitive for grants without having to limit their research effort.