Care and Use of Vertebrate Animals in Research (Rev date 9/07)
All laboratory animal facilities at MUSC are under the centralized animal care and use program of the Division of Laboratory Animal Resources (DLAR) (http://research.musc.edu/dlar/toc.htm), under the direction of M. Michael Swindle, DVM. DLAR maintains 113,811 ft2 of animal housing and research support facilities in seven buildings on campus.
Animal housing areas are identified as follows (gross square feet):
Basic Science Building (BSB)
7th Floor 13,689 sq. ft.
7th Floor ABSL III 864 sq. ft.
Children's Research Institute (CRI)
7th Floor 17,586 sq. ft.
Quadrangle Building (QE)
1st Floor 270 sq. ft.
4th Floor 6,163 sq. ft.
Strom Thurmond Biomedical
Research Building, (STB)
7th Floor 21,920 sq. ft. (includes 14,355 sq. ft.,VA space)
8th Floor 21,920 sq. ft.
Psychiatric Hospital (IOP)
2nd Floor 1,291 sq. ft.
Hollings Cancer Center (HCC)
4th Floor 13,916 sq. ft.
Hollings Cancer Center Annex
4th Floor 16,202 sq. ft.
All facilities are fully accredited by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC, International). DLAR provides animal husbandry and related services for all species of animals used in research at MUSC except fish; for this species, DLAR oversees and inspects the facilities. Full-time veterinary staff includes three diplomates of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM) and a veterinary pathologist. These individuals hold permanent, full-time faculty appointments in the Department of Comparative Medicine. The faculty members provide clinical, research and administrative services. DLAR has a staff of certified technical personnel and registered veterinary technicians who provide daily observation and handling of lab animals. Under the direction of a faculty veterinarian, the technicians provide pre-operative, anesthetic, and post-operative care of lab animals in centralized surgical facilities administered by DLAR on STB 8th floor. The animal care program includes a veterinarian on call weekends, holidays, and after hours along with a full-time veterinary technician who is present on weekends and holidays.
Mice are housed in ventilated racks within barrier animal facilities. Rats and other rodents are housed in microisolator cages. Rodents are maintained in a pathogen free condition within the barrier facilities. A separate isolation and quarantine facility is maintained for rodents with pathogens. Pathogen free rabbits are housed in stainless steel pens with feeders and automatic watering systems. Large animals are housed in stainless steel pens with fiberglass slatted floors raised off the floor surface. Automatic water and feeders are provided. Cats are housed in cages with food bowls, water bottles and litter boxes. Fish and amphibians are maintained within aquaria specifically designed for their environmental requirements. All animal facilities maintain >15 air changes per hour with centrally controlled and monitored humidity and light cycles. Animal are fed species-specific TEKLAD diets. All animals received environmental species-specific enrichment unless it is contraindicated by the protocol.
Individual records are kept on rabbits and all animals that are taxonomically higher. DLAR provides complete animal health and surveillance programs for all species of lab animals at MUSC. DLAR also provides lists of approved vendors of laboratory animals, from which faculty may request an order from a DLAR clerk. Investigators may order animals from suppliers who are not on an approved list only after a veterinarian determines the health status of the colony and approves the request. DLAR veterinarians receive health surveillance information from rodent vendors, including viral, bacterial and mycoplasmal serology, PCR and necropsy. This surveillance varies from quarterly to annual checks, depending upon the source. In addition, sentinel animals are kept within facilities housing rodents. Sentinels, PCR are necropsied with serology and histopathology performed quarterly, semi-annually, or as needed, if clinical evidence of disease occurs in the room. Technicians perform a physical examination on all incoming rodents and rabbits. DLAR has maintained a specific pathogen free (SPF) rodent program since 1992.
All husbandry, veterinary care, health surveillance, conditioning programs, diagnostic procedures, vaccination schedules, environmental monitoring procedures and personnel issues are detailed in written standard operating procedures (SOP). DLAR management and veterinary personnel periodically review the SOP Manual for revision as needed. All personnel are instructed in its use upon hiring, and are required to sign a statement that they have read and understood its contents.
The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is independently chartered and appointed by the President and is fully independent of DLAR. The IACUC reports to the Vice President for Academic Affairs & Provost. Committee functions are staffed by the Office of Research & Sponsored Programs under the direction of the Associate Provost for Research. The IACUC is responsible for review of all proposals using lab animals at the university as well as oversight of the programs and policies associated with animal use. The committee meets monthly to review and approve animal protocols and address other issues. It performs semiannual inspections and review of the DLAR programs and facilities for compliance with PHS, USDA and AAALAC regulations. To help the IACUC in monitoring the conduct of animal-based research and proactively assist investigators in establishing and maintaining good practices, MUSC also has a program for Post-Approval Monitoring of Animal Use (PAMA). A designated Animal Research Compliance Liaison works with the MUSC investigators and the individuals who handle animals in their laboratories to ensure that the highest level of animal care is maintained and that all research involving animals is conducted with appropriate IACUC review and approval.
The program has maintained continuous full accreditation by AAALAC, International since 1987 (Institution #695) and has its next accreditation visit in 2008. The last review was June 29, 2005. MUSC has an approved assurance number (A3428-01, expiration 4/30/08) from OLAW-NIH. MUSC’s , program for laboratory animal care and use has an unbroken record of compliance with regulatory inspections by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA has approved MUSC's license and registration (56-R-0001) for compliance with the Animal Welfare Act. The Institutional Official for regulatory purposes is John Raymond, MD, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.