Sterilization Improvement Grant

 描述（由申请人提供）：罗格斯大学，新泽西的州立大学（RU）-研究进展办公室（ORAd）要求资金购买和装备一个新的散装灭菌器，以便在皮斯卡特维的布施校园的研究塔（RT）动物护理设施（ACF）中的啮齿动物笼的当前和未来扩大数量可以有效地进行灭菌。RT目前有两个灭菌器（Amsco和Steris）。虽然两者都是低调的，但它们都是旧的，并且具有显著的可维护性和吞吐量限制。事实上，Amsco灭菌器处于几乎不可操作的状态，必须立即更换。此外，目前的灭菌器都不能对支架进行灭菌。在没有要求的设备的情况下，RU主要研究者（PI）将继续接受挑战，以维持现有的屏障啮齿动物群落或扩大这些群落以满足未来的需求。NIH资助的RT-ACF动物研究将受到明显影响。拟议的新消毒器的容量是拟议更换的现有Amsco消毒器的三倍多，并且将比现有型号更快地对啮齿动物架、笼子和相关设备进行消毒。这种新型灭菌器的位置也将使其具有双重用途，当从脏笼清洗侧装载时，允许对脏笼进行去污，而当从清洁笼清洗侧使用时，则对清洁笼进行灭菌。更换现有的Amsco消毒器还将使我们能够逆转肮脏和清洁的笼子清洗，以改善交通流量并提高生物安全性。购买所要求的机架/笼式灭菌器同样可以节省更多的环境资源。虽然附近公共卫生学院大楼（SPH）的ACF有一个散装灭菌器，但物流距离、生物安全性以及更重要的是，SPH-ACF的沉重灭菌负荷使RT-ACF无法将笼送到SPH-ACF进行常规灭菌。用新的散装灭菌器替换RT-ACF中过时的、功能差的设备将大大增强ORAd支持当前NIH资助的罗伯特伍德约翰逊医学院（RWJMS）研究人员的能力，并最终允许将药学院（SOP）和生物医学工程学院（BME）的PI合并到RT-ACF。减少卫星ACF的数量将大大降低ORAd的运营成本，并减少PI和NIH的每日负担。该设备加上2587平方英尺（SF）的空间和支持基础设施升级，符合现有设施的尺寸，并利用了大部分现有基础设施。为了确保设备运行，罗格斯大学将支付除本补助金要求外的任何额外支出。如果短期内没有新的散装灭菌器，RT-ACF可能无法满足RU PI的啮齿动物需求，因此他们可以适当地进行NIH资助的研究。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (RU)-Office of Research Advancement (ORAd) requests funds to purchase and outfit a new bulk sterilizer so current as well as future expanding numbers of rodent cages in the Research Tower (RT) Animal Care Facility (ACF) on the Busch campus in Piscataway can be efficiently and effectively sterilized. The RT currently has two sterilizers (Amsco and Steris). Although both are low profile, they are old and have significant serviceability and throughput limitations. In fact, he Amsco sterilizer is in nearly non-operable condition and must be immediately replaced. In addition, neither of the current sterilizers is able to sterilize racks. Without the requested equipment, RU Principal Investigators (PIs) will continue to be challenged to maintain existing barrier rodent colonies or expand these colonies to meet future needs. NIH-funded animal research in RT-ACF will be significantly affected. The proposed new sterilizer has more than three times the capacity of the existing Amsco sterilizer proposed for replacement and will enable significantly faster sterilization of rodent racks, cages and associated equipment than the current model. The location of this new sterilizer will also allow it to serve a dual purpose, allowing decontamination of dirty racks when loaded from the Dirty Cage Wash side while providing sterilization of clean racks when used from the Clean Cage Wash side. Replacing the existing Amsco sterilizer will also enable us to reverse the dirty and clean cage wash to improve traffic flow as well as enhance biosecurity. Additional environmental savings in resources would likewise occur with the purchase of the requested rack/cage sterilizer. Although the ACF in the nearby School of Public Health Building (SPH) has a bulk sterilizer, logistical distance, bio-security and more importantly, a heavy sterilization load at the SPH-ACF precludes the RT-ACF from sending cages to the SPH-ACF for routine sterilization. Replacing outdated, poorly functional equipment at the RT-ACF with a new bulk sterilizer will greatly enhance ORAd's ability to support current NIH-funded Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS) investigators as well as eventually allow for a consolidation of PIs from the Schools of Pharmacy (SOP) and Biomedical Engineering (BME) to the RT-ACF. Reducing the number of satellite ACFs will greatly reduce ORAd's operating costs and reduce the per diem burden on PIs and NIH. This equipment plus 2587 square feet (SF) space and supporting infrastructure upgrade fits existing facility dimensions, and utilizes most of the existing infrastructure. To ensure equipment operation Rutgers University will pay any additional expenditure in addition to that requested in this grant. Without a new bulk sterilizer in the short term, the RT-ACF may not meet the rodent needs of RU PIs so they can properly conduct NIH funded research.