Developing and Improving Institutional Animal Resources

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案要求支持纽约州精神病学研究所（NYSPI）的动物护理设施的改造，这是一家非联邦机构，专注于与广泛的精神障碍相关的转化研究和培训。修订后的目标是：1)通过建立一个屏障设施来改善和增加啮齿动物的居住和测试空间，所有小鼠和大鼠都将在其中居住和测试；2)提供更好的支持设施。现有的主要动物护理设施占据了科尔布研究大楼的两层。物种是杂交的。在新的设计中，所有的小鼠和大鼠将被安置在同一楼层进行测试。住宅空间将通过取消两条走廊而增加。8个新的测试室将被创建，大部分毗邻住房房间。因此，许多啮齿动物将不必通过公共走廊进出试验室。将会有两个新的手术室：一个给老鼠用，一个给大鼠用。对输入性老鼠的检疫能力将大大提高。拟议的改造是长期计划的第一步，该计划将在研究大楼的前三层建立一个最先进的、扩展的动物设施。该设计将符合政府对实验动物护理的所有指导方针和对工作人员的安全规定。实验空间与饲养空间相邻，物种分布越合理，动物幸福感越高；提高饲养程序的效率；促进生物医学研究和培训。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal requests support for the renovation of the animal care facility of the New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI), a non-federal institution that focuses on translational research and training related to a broad spectrum of mental disorders. The revised goals are 1) improve and increase housing and testing space for rodents by creating a barrier facility within which all housing and testing of mice and rats will take place, and 2) provide better support facilities. The existing main animal care facility occupies two floors of the Kolb Research Building. Species are intermingled. In the new design, all mice and rats will be housed and tested on a single floor. Housing space will be increased by the elimination of two corridors. Eight new testing rooms will be created, most adjacent to the housing rooms. Thus many rodents will not have to be carried through common corridors to and from testing rooms. There will be two new surgery/procedure rooms: one for mice, one for rats. The quarantine capabilities for importation of mice will be greatly expanded. The proposed renovations are the first step in a long term plan to create a state-of-the-art, expanded animal facility on the top three floors of the research building. The design will meet all government guidelines for the care of laboratory animals and safety regulations for staff. The more rational distribution of species with testing and housing spaces adjacent will improve animal well-being; increase efficiency of husbandry procedures; and facilitate biomedical research and training.