Modernization of Sterilization Equipment in the UK Todd Vivarium

The University of Kentucky (UK) is in one of 23 states designated by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as an Institutional Development Award (IDeA) state, serving the research needs of medically underserved communities. As part of the IDeA state program, UK is the recipient of multiple NIH funded Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) projects. The Division of Laboratory Animal Facilities (DLAR) is committed to meeting investigators’ evolving study needs through efficiently operating and streamlined procedures. The aim of this request is to modernize the sterilization equipment within the Lee T. Todd, Jr., College of Pharmacy Building animal facility, which maintains an average of 3,800 mouse cages. This facility is also adjacent to two additional research buildings that serve as the nucleus of biomedical research in the College of Medicine and could provide for their barrier housing needs as well with the funding of this equipment. The current bulk steam sterilizer is over 15 years old and has been designated as “Service Mature” by the manufacturer making it obsolete. Due to increasingly limited parts availability and the age of the equipment, servicing the unit has become challenging, resulting in long downtimes for repairs. Dry heat sterilizers offer an innovative solution to sterilizing caging and supplies. By replacing the bulk autoclave with a dry heat sterilizer and smaller autoclave, the cage wash will be able to double its current throughput and provide significant savings in energy and water. Since the facility was opened in 2010, the UK Markey Cancer Center has achieved Comprehensive Cancer Center status from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and is the sole center in Kentucky. As such, Markey receives public grant funds from the Institute to study and implement cancer prevention strategies, clinical trials and research studies, and evidenced-based research. This facility houses most of the immune- deficient mouse strains utilized in this and other NIH-funded cancer research at our institution. These strains require a higher level of biosecurity to prevent opportunistic infections that can cause illness and mortality as well as interfere with research results. In addition, the importance of the microbiome and its influence on disease processes is an emerging field of study and area of emphasis for NIH funding. Increasing the capacity to provide a consistent and uniform microenvironment for animals will support researchers pursuing these exciting areas of research.