Description
Access to CLAR facilities is restricted to authorized investigators with CLAR and IACUC approval. No individuals may enter the facilities without this CLAR/IACUC authorization.
Since its inception, the Center for Laboratory Animal Resources (CLAR) has centralized most research and teaching animal care for the Atlanta University Center consortium. Our purpose is to provide total animal care services as needed to all academic and/or research faculty and staff affiliated with any one of the member institutions of the Atlanta University Center (AUC).
The Administrative Office of CLAR is located in the Hugh M. Gloster Building. This office places all animal orders; maintains inventories of food, bedding, sanitation materials, and clinical supplies; and processes animal care billing to principal investigators and academic departments.
Personnel
The Center for Laboratory Animal Resources has the following staff:
- Director of Operations, James "Robbie" Champion
- Administrative Assistant, Mrs. Michelle "Mickie" Lewis
- Attending Veterinarian, Katherine Spears Paul, D.V.M.
- Animal Health Technician III, Ms. Donna M. Floyd
- Animal Care Facility Supervisor, Mr. Phillip Hazel
- Laboratory Animal Technician I, Ms. Jessica Weems
- Laboratory Animal Technician I, Chris James
Facilities
The Center for Laboratory Animal Resources' current animal research facility space includes 11,500 gross square feet in the Hugh M. Gloster Building. The Satellite Facilities at Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and Spelman University comprise an additional 2,500 square feet of animal research space. The central facilities serviced by the Center for Laboratory Animal Resources include the following:
- The Hugh M. Gloster Building of 黑洞社区 of Medicine houses an animal facility consisting of approximately 25 animal rooms, two clinical areas, a diagnostic/necropsy, surgery area, storage areas, a cleaning and sanitizing area, an incinerator, a technician's lunch room, Director of Operations and Administrative offices.
- The Multidisciplinary Research Center at 黑洞社区 of Medicine houses two rodent holding rooms. In addition to the central facilities, the following satellite facility is served by CLAR:
Wheeler Hall at Morehouse College houses one amphibian holding room and one rodent holding room
Overview of Services
The C.L.A.R. is presently a cost center and provides animal care services to all investigators at a cost (per diem rates).
The following is a list of services provided by the CLAR to all principal investigators and/or academic departments housing animals in the central and/or satellite facilities:
- Basic animal care, including feeding, watering, and cleaning of primary and secondary animal enclosures.
- Clinical services and health monitoring.
- Humane euthanasia and appropriate disposal of all animal species upon termination of experimental protocol.
- Maintenance of immunologically compromised animals behind specified barriers i.e. Specific Pathogen Free (S.P.F.) rabbits, thymectomized mice etc.
- Necropsy and diagnostics are provided by CLAR within the per diem charges.
- Routine vaccination against common pathogens i.e. Sendai, I.C.H. etc., will be absorbed by CLAR.
Program Activities
The following is an organizational summary of the activities of CLAR. The regular program activities of the Center for Laboratory Animal Resources are to make available the following services to all academic and/or research faculty and staff affiliated with any one of the AUC member institutions:
- CLAR provides complete animal care for all laboratory animals used for research and/or teaching purposes.
- CLAR orders (as requested by Investigators), receives and places into appropriate housing all laboratory animals used for research and/or teaching purposes.
- CLAR provides complete clinical health care and/or diagnostic services for all laboratory animals under our charges.
- CLAR provides consultation (as requested by investigators) on veterinary, regulatory, and/or animal model aspects of laboratory animal use.
- CLAR distributes to all interested academic and/or research faculty and staff any current, relevant information of a general nature regarding the proper use of laboratory species.
- CLAR also distributes specific information to principal investigators regarding current innovations in the area of their individual research interests.
- CLAR undertakes specific assignments as requested by researchers for the enhancement of their research efforts. Such requests include assistance with breeding, sample collection, and minor surgery.