# Core 4: Animal Breeding (UAB) and Exposure Core (MRIGLOBAL)

> **NIH NIH U54** · UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · 2021 · $575,245

## Abstract

The major objectives of the Animal and Exposure Core-4 of the UAB Research Center of
Excellence in Arsenicals are to support all scientific Projects and Drug Discovery and
Development Core-3, as the success of the studies proposed within this Center application
depend on the availability of sufficient animals in a timely manner, as well as the timely
coordination with MRIGlobal for animal exposure to arsenicals. MRIGlobal has more than 60
years of corporate experience in management and operations of chemical agent facilities and
associated projects. We bring to CACT-funded programs, proficiencies in small and large animal
chemical agent models, test and evaluation, safe handling of chemical warfare agent (CWA)
compounds, compounds with extreme toxicity, toxic industrial chemicals (TIC), and emerging
chemical threats. Core-4 will generate a colony of animals of the desired size by assessing the
requirement of each Project in the beginning of each year. Animals will be transported to
MRIGlobal on a predefined time schedule. Once the animals have been exposed to arsenicals
and their initial gross data pertaining to skin damage recorded, the animals will be euthanized by
the staff at MRIGlobal and the harvested tissues and body fluids will be transported back to UAB.
In addition, MRIGlobal will synthesize and store the arsenicals used for these animal studies for
which they have facilities which approved by appropriate agencies. Core-4 will establish a
biorepository on the UAB campus in which to store the returned tissue and body fluid samples as
well as other samples generated directly by the Projects. Samples will be barcoded and banked
in our laboratory. In addition, Core-4 will conduct the in vivo screening of agents that are
synthesized by Drug Discovery and Development Core-3 and found to be highly effective in
attenuating molecular targets in vitro. Accordingly, three specific aims of this core include: 1: To
breed and ship animals for arsenicals exposure at MRIGlobal under approved animal protocols
of UAB and MRIGlobal; 2: Coordinate with MRIGlobal for animal exposure to arsenicals, initial
gross skin data collection, and return shipment to UAB of samples or healed animals for proper
banking and distribution or further toxicity assessment, respectively; and 3: To perform in vivo
screening of novel agents developed in Drug Discovery and Development Core-3.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10249112
- **Project number:** 5U54ES030246-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM
- **Principal Investigator:** Mohammad Athar
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $575,245
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-01 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10249112

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10249112, Core 4: Animal Breeding (UAB) and Exposure Core (MRIGLOBAL) (5U54ES030246-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10249112. Licensed CC0.

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