Acquisition of a Tunnel Washer and Associated A&R Improvements

描述(由申请人提供)：内森·克莱恩精神病学研究所(NKI)是纽约州心理健康办公室内的一个多学科研究机构，隶属于纽约大学医学院。NKI进行了广泛的研究，包括对主要精神疾病(如精神分裂症、阿尔茨海默病)的原因进行基础和临床研究，以及评估治疗方法。NKI的许多资助研究项目依赖于实验研究动物(常规和转基因小鼠、大鼠和非人类灵长类动物)的使用。NKI的实验室动物资源在过去六年中迅速扩大，现在需要购买一台隧道清洗机，以保持高标准的卫生条件，以保持其庞大的动物种群健康和设施平稳高效地运行。人口的增加(从六年前每天8000只小鼠的普查增加到目前的19000只，并计划进一步增加)以及建立特定的无病原体(SPF)住房和程序室，使我们目前的卫生能力达到了极限。 我们还申请改建和翻新资金，用于翻新我们的笼洗套房旁边的一小块区域，包括新的环氧地坪，以修复损坏的情况，并将该区域和笼洗套房连接在一起。A&R工作将改善临时肮脏设备过渡的条件，方便清洁前的家务劳动，并优化笼子设备卫生和所要求的隧道清洗机的效率。所要求的设备和A&R将加强NKI在不久的将来成功获得AAALAC认证的努力。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research (NKI) is a multidisciplinary research institute within the New York State Office of Mental Health and is affiliated with the NYU School of Medicine. NKI conducts a broad array of research, including basic and clinical studies of the causes of major mental illnesses (e.g., schizophrenia, Alzheimers Disease) and the evaluation of treatments. Numerous funded research programs at NKI rely on the use of experimental research animals (conventional and transgenic mice, rats, and non-human primates). NKI's Laboratory Animal Resource has expanded rapidly in the last six years and now requires the acquisition of a tunnel washer to maintain the high standards of sanitation needed to keep its large animal populations healthy and the facility functioning smoothly and efficiently. The increased population (from a daily census of 8,000 mice six years ago to 19,000 at present, with further planned increases) and the establishment of specific pathogen-free (SPF) housing and procedure rooms has stretched our present sanitation capacities to their limit. We are also requesting alteration and renovation funds for the renovation of a small area adjacent to our cage-wash suite, to include a new epoxy floor to repair damage and to tie this area and the cage-wash suite together. The A&R work will improve conditions for temporary dirty equipment staging, facilitate pre-cleaning chores, and optimize caging equipment sanitation and the efficiency of the requested tunnel washer. The requested equipment and A&R will enhance NKI's efforts to seek AAALAC accreditation successfully in the near future.