At the University of Nebraska Medical Center and across the country,
the burgeoning field of genomics has led to an explosion in laboratory
mouse populations. Researchers are hopeful it also may lead to an unprecedented
potential in identifying genes that cause disease or in possible treatments.
Today, the University of Nebraska Board of Regents will vote on UNMCs
most pressing research infrastructure need — a $1.5 million containment
and isolation facility for laboratory rodents in the existing 4230 Building
on campus.
Our daily research mouse population has grown from approximately 3,000
to 14,000 mice within the past three years, said Don Leuenberger, UNMCs
vice chancellor for business and finance. That growth is a direct result
of UNMCs goal to grow the research enterprise, along with an explosive
growth in the variety of genetically modified mice available for use as
models of specific human diseases.
UNMC is not alone. Stanford University has watched its mouse population
double since 1997 to its present number of approximately 85,000 and Johns
Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., is building a new, state-of-the-art
facility to house approximately 100,000 rodents when it opens next year.
UNMCs proposed project is critical to the success of existing and
future research efforts that use mutant rodent models, Leuenberger said.
It also will assist us in recruiting and retaining researchers whose work
depends on the use of genetically modified mice.
Rodents have long been used as human surrogates as they are relatively
similar to humans in terms of genetics. Since the late 1980s, researchers
have been able to breed transgenic mice, in which an extra gene has been
added, and knockout mice, in which a gene has been removed. That has
helped researchers look at how specific genes work and interact with one
another and has yielded hope to better understanding diseases, as well
as possibly treating, curing or preventing them.
Thomas Rosenquist, Ph.D., vice chancellor for research at UNMC, expects
continued dramatic growth in UNMCs mouse population as researchers are
recruited who require their own transgenic mice or access to other transgenic
mice. Its important that we pay attention to the animal care infrastructure
because the colony will continue to get bigger, he said.
Genetically modified animals are expensive and require specialized environments
to ensure they remain healthy and do not compromise research results. UNMC
— which also creates genetically modified mice in the laboratory — does
not have the appropriate quantity or quality of space where mutant research
rodents can be received, quarantined, isolated and if necessary, re-derived,
Leuenberger said.
UNMCs proposed 14,306 gross square foot project includes constructing
a laboratory rodent quarantine, isolation and re-derivation facility (infectious
agents are removed from the mouse strain through cesarean section or embryo
transfer to uninfected animals or space where duplicate animals can be
housed to reduce risk of the loss of a particular strain of mice). Located
remotely from current animal housing areas, the animals would be housed
in flexible film isolators and handled only in a sterile environment. Each
isolator would act to contain any infection the animals may have or house
animals that are free of infectious agents.
If approved, construction of the facility would begin in October and
end in February 2003. Funding will come from the College of Medicine.
The care and use of laboratory animals at UNMC is based on national
guidelines and federal regulations. UNMCs Institutional Animal Care and
Use Committee (IACUC) the institutional review board equivalent for animals
has been accredited by the Association for the Assessment and Accreditation
of Laboratory Animal Care since 1966.
The care and safety of all of our research animals is assured because
of the IACUC, Dr. Rosenquist said.
Today, the regents also will accept a report deferring the construction
of research laboratories in the 4230 Building. In December, the board approved
the renovation of approximately 33,000 gross square feet to help support
UNMCs growing research enterprise. In light of budget constraints, UNMC
has reconsidered plans to complete the project prior to occupancy of its
new Research Center of Excellence, a 10-level research building which is
expected to open in September 2003.