Purchase of Laminar Flow Workstations and Biosafety Cabinets to Protect Personnel and Animals

 描述(由申请人提供)：与大多数进行生物医学研究的机构一致，啮齿动物是印第安纳大学医学院(IUSM)实验动物资源中心(LARC)最常用的动物物种。这些动物对该学院的主要研究重点至关重要，包括研究癌症、糖尿病和其他在美国很重要的健康问题。为了确保足够的生物保护和防止人员接触过敏原，这些啮齿动物通常被关在单独通风的笼子里，并在层流动物转运站处理。最近的内部和外部评估确定，我们需要升级和扩大动物设施中使用的层流动物转运站和生物安全柜的数量，以加强对人员和动物的保护。具体地说，我们(1)确定了部分现有的层流动物转运站没有提供适当的人员保护；(2)确定了ABSL2鼠舍对啮齿动物住所的需求增加；以及(3)决定我们应该将我们的大部分老鼠窝从传统的笼子过渡到单独通风的笼子。此外，我们已确定动物房，在那里提供多个层流动物转运站，将加强遵守适当保护动物和人员的使用。根据对我们资源的评估结果，这笔赠款提案的资金将用于购买29个动物转移更改站和8个生物安全柜。此次采购将使我们能够更换26个不合适的引擎盖，增加支持BSL2级动物模型的能力，改善我们的老鼠群体的生物保护，并允许放置多个动物更改站和大量动物和科学家的房间，以确保适当保护啮齿动物和人员。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): As is consistent with the majority of institutions performing biomedical research, rodents are the most commonly used species of animal housed at the Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM) Laboratory Animal Resource Center (LARC). These animals are critical for the School's major research focuses, including studies of cancer, diabetes, and other health problems of importance in the USA. To ensure adequate bioprotection and prevent personnel exposure to allergens, these rodents are generally housed in individually ventilated caging and handled in laminar flow animal transfer stations. Recent internal and external evaluations have determined that we need to upgrade and expand the number of laminar flow animal transfer stations and biological safety cabinets in use in the animal facilities to improve protection of personnel and animals. Specifically, we (1) identified a subset of existing laminar flow animal transfer stations that are not providing appropriate personnel protection; (2) identified an increase in the demand for housing rodents in ABSL2 housing; and (3) determined that we should transition our the majority of our rat colonies from conventional housing to individually ventilated caging. Additionally, we have identified animal rooms where the provision of multiple laminar flow animal transfer stations will enhance compliance with the use of proper protection of animals and personnel. Based on the findings from this evaluation of our resources, funds from this grant proposal will be used to purchase 29 animal transfer change stations and 8 biological safety cabinets. This purchase will allow us to replace the 26 inappropriate hoods, add capacity for the support of BSL2 level animal models, improve the bioprotection for our rat colonies, and allow the placement of multiple animal change stations rooms with large populations of animals and scientists to ensure proper protection of the rodents and personnel.