Advancing Research Operations at an Emergent R1 Minority-Serving Institution

项目摘要。德克萨斯大学埃尔帕索分校（UTEP）是一所为少数民族服务的学术机构， 使命致力于通过研究，教育，社区参与， 作为一个新兴的国家研究机构。在UTEP，有一个关键的 需要设备，以加强我们的研究基础设施，并保持我们的地位，作为一个R1研究所在这些年来 来的 和公共服务。我们被指定为卡内基一级大学“R1：博士大学-非常高 研究活动”区分UTEP 作为一个主要的生物医学研究机构，它致力于促进生物多样性， 科学劳动力，拟议的项目将增加一个急需的笼/机架清洗机在我们的生物科学主 动物设施。拟议的要求将促进我们强大的和富有成效的生物医学研究计划，包括 实验室动物UTEP生物医学研究计划得到了实验室部门的支持 动物资源中心（LARC）与机构动物护理和使用委员会（IACUC）合作。 LARC管理和监测研究动物的饲养和使用，以确保符合适用的 联邦、州和地方法律和指导方针以及机构政策。LARC支持主要动物 生物科学大楼的设施，以及心理学，生物学和生物学的3个额外的动物卫星设施。 跨学科研究大楼（IDRB）。他们的监督还包括我们的斑马鱼水族馆以及2 位于主校区外的实地研究站。动物设施的设计是为了适应 精心控制的环境和设备，用于维护、护理和使用实验室动物。 在对需求和预计增长的全面评估中，我们确定了对笼/机架的迫切需求 Biosciences Main动物设施中的清洗机。目前的洗衣机已经使用了10多年， 已经超过了十年的预期寿命这台洗衣机对我们的运营至关重要，因为它提供了消毒 主要动物设施中使用的设备以及涉及饲养在 生物学和心理学动物设施。新建立的IDRB设施的消毒服务正在 由自己的洗衣机支持，为3名研究人员及其3个项目提供服务，并被用于 由于经常出现故障，将其作为主动物设施中的备用清洗机。因此 要求升级的笼/架清洗机将支持42个正在进行的生物医学研究项目中的39个， 草原田鼠（Microtus ochrogaster）、小鼠（Mus物种）BALB/c、C57/BL 6和转基因小鼠以及大鼠（Rattus 种）、Sprague-Dawley和Wistar品系。这39个项目由来自5个国家的25名UTEP教师进行 与神经科学、传染病、癌症和生态学中的公共卫生问题有关的不同学院 进化生物学和生物医学工程。升级的笼/机架清洗机将提供支持 需要维持动物护理和使用计划，以支持UTEP的强大和富有成效的 生物医学研究项目。 1

Project Abstract. The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is a minority-serving academic institution whose mission is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research, education, community engagement, as an emergent national research institution. At UTEP, there is a critical need for equipment to enhance our research infrastructure and maintain our status as an R1 institute in the years to come. and public service. Our designation as a Carnegie Tier One university "R1: Doctoral Universities – very high research activity" distinguishes UTEP As a premier biomedical research institution that is heavily engaged in promoting diversity in the scientific workforce, the proposed project will add a critically needed cage/rack washer in our Biosciences Main animal facility. The proposed request will foster our robust and productive biomedical research program involving laboratory animals. The UTEP biomedical research program is being supported by the Department of Laboratory Animal Resources Center (LARC) in partnership with the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). The LARC manages and monitors the housing and use of research animals to ensure compliance with applicable Federal, State, and Local laws and guidelines as well as Institutional Policy. The LARC supports the Main animal facility in the Biosciences building, and the 3 additional animal satellite facilities in Psychology, Biology and the Interdisciplinary Research Building (IDRB). Their oversight also includes our Zebra fish aquarium as well as 2 field research stations located off of our main campus. The animal facilities are designed to accommodate exquisitely controlled environments and equipment for the maintenance and care and use of laboratory animals. In a comprehensive assessment of needs and projected growth, we identified a critical need for a cage/rack washer in the Biosciences Main animal facility. The current washer has been in use for more than 10 years, and has exceeded its 10-year life expectancy. This washer is critical to our operations because it provides sanitizing services for equipment used in the Main animal facility as well as for research involving animals housed in the Biology and Psychology animal facilities. The sanitizing services in the newly established IDRB facility is being supported by its own washer that provides services for 3 investigators and their 3 projects as well as being used as a back-up washer for the one in the Main animal facility due to frequent malfunctioning. Therefore, the requested upgraded cage/rack washer will support 39 of 42 active biomedical research projects involving the use of prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster), mice (Mus species) BALB/c, C57/BL6 and transgenic mice, and rats (Rattus species), Sprague-Dawley and Wistar strains. The 39 projects are being conducted by 25 UTEP faculty from 5 different colleges related to public-health problems in the neurosciences, infectious diseases, cancer, and ecology and evolutionary biology, and biomedical engineering. The upgraded cage/rack washer will provide the support required to sustain the animal care and use program essential for supporting the UTEP's robust and productive biomedical research programs. 1