Animal Research

Novus International’s new 90,000-sf global headquarters is slated for completion in early spring of 2009. Novus, an animal health and nutrition company, will consolidate its research and administrative operations in the $20 million facility. Sited in the Missouri Research Park in St. Charles, the project involved renovation of Novus’ existing 42,000-sf building and the addition of 48,000 sf. General contractor Clayco of St. Louis initiated construction in August of 2007 on the facility, which includes 10 laboratories, offices, and a training center.

Memphis VA Medical Center initiated a $6 million renovation of its animal research facility in December of 2008. The 38,000-sf project includes the 14,000-sf Veterinary Medical Unit (VMU) and 24,000 sf of basic research space. The renovation will add 10,000 sf to the VMU and will increase laboratory and animal housing space for research on mice, rats, and rabbits. The project is slated for completion in mid-2010.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has extended the public comment period for a proposed contingency planning rule for animal research facilities. The rule would require licensees and registrants under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) to create emergency response plans detailing power, water, and HVAC backup operations; response and recovery chain of command; evacuation or shelter-in-place strategies; and sanitation, bedding, feeding, and veterinary services. APHIS may also develop a contingency planning guidance document for animal facilities.

Pahang Bioscience is partnering with BCRO Stem Cell Transplantation to create a RM300 million stem cell research center in Temerloh, Malaysia. The facility will include an animal research laboratory, stem cell culture facilities, medical treatment areas, and a closed-colony rabbit farm.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is expanding its animal research and storage facilities in White Cross, N.C. An animal storage building and a well and water treatment plant is slated for completion in early 2009. The University is also planning to construct additional storage, research, and treatment facilities at the Research Resources Facility site for dogs, pigs, rodents, and sheep.

The University of Queensland is relocating the School of Veterinary Science from Brisbane to Gatton, Australia. Housing teaching and research facilities, the $100 million project is slated for completion in late 2009. The $33 million Centre for Advanced Animal Science, funded by the Queensland Government, is also under construction in Gatton.

The British Columbia Agricultural Council completed a $14 million CL-3 testing laboratory at the Animal Health Centre in Abbotsford in December of 2008. The veterinary diagnostic laboratory will test animal samples for infectious diseases and features sophisticated air filtration, waste handling, and decontamination systems. Construction began on the project in December of 2006. Operations will begin at the new facility in early 2009 following commissioning by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Yale University’s new BSL-3 laboratory will open in early 2009. Located on the ninth floor of the School of Public Health building in New Haven, Conn., the facility will support animal and non-animal research on infectious diseases including West Nile Virus, SARS, Yellow Fever, and anthrax. The laboratory features a single-pass airflow system, waterproof ceilings, and completely sealed penetrations.

Animal housing manufacturer Allentown Inc. formed Allentown Integration (AI) in November of 2008. Comprised of strategic partnerships with solution providers including LYNX Product Group and Belimed, AI offers a complete package of automation, animal housing, cagewash and equipment maintenance products, and bedding dispensing and removal systems. Providing an integrated solution for animal research facilities, AI installs turnkey animal housing and equipment packages for biomedical research.

The University of Florida is planning to construct the $2 million Aquatic Pathobiology Laboratory in Gainesville. Funded by $1.267 million from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the 6,990-sf research facility will include the Aquatic Animal Health Facility, small and large animal necropsy, molecular diagnostics, aquatic animal holding, and water preparation rooms.

The CDC’s Division of Select Agents and Toxins has awarded SRA International a $24.9 million contract to provide laboratory support services to the Select Agent Program. Awarded in September of 2008, the five-year contract is a recompete of work the company has supported since 2002 through the acquisition of Constella Group. Under the contract, SRA will continue to help CDC track the possession, use, and transfer of select agents in the U.S.

The University of Oxford opened its £20 million Biomedical Sciences Building in the United Kingdom in November of 2008. Construction began on the animal research laboratory in 2003. Full research operations will commence in mid-2009. The facility primarily houses mice; 98 percent of the animals in the building are rodents with a small amount of fish, frogs, ferrets, and nonhuman primates.

McLaughlin Research Institute is engaged in a $4.3 million expansion and renovation of its animal resource center at the Institute for Biomedical Sciences in Great Falls, Mont. The project includes the acquisition of individually ventilated cages and new cage washing and sterilization equipment. The two-story expansion will increase mouse vivarium space and will accommodate two additional biomedical research groups. A XYCLONE laser module will improve the production of gene-targeted mice to produce new mouse models for human diseases.

Virginia Tech opened a new equine cell and molecular research laboratory at the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center in Leesburg in September of 2008. The 2,500-sf facility will support the growth of stem cells for study and clinical application as well as providing training for scientists engaged in equine and biomedical research.

San Diego-based contract research organization Bio-Quant received full accreditation from the Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) International in October of 2008. AAALAC’s extensive on-site evaluation determined that the highest level of animal care and research practices are being implemented by Bio-Quant. The accreditation follows upon an operational and infrastructure expansion project at the site.