# Autoclave for DMU Shared Biomedical Research Facility

> **NIH NIH R24** · DES MOINES UNIV OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL CTR · 2022 · $57,194

## Abstract

Abstract
The animal research environment at Des Moines University includes a strong group of NIH
funded investigators with excellent equipment and staff support housed in a modern animal care
facility. A significant weakness of the current experimental capabilities is our 13-year-old
autoclave that is connected to a standalone but integrated 50-yr old boiler (no longer in
production) and a water purification system. This integrated old equipment frequently breaks
down and requires repairs, causing unanticipated expenditures and delays in conducting animal
use research. Such breakdowns occur frequently because of the age and condition of the
existing autoclave. Autoclaving is the most effective and reliable means of sterilizing laboratory
materials. Autoclaves are an indispensable well-established mainstream technology that is used
ubiquitously in biomedical facilities to sterilize equipment/products before use in an experiment
or to render items non-infectious before disposal. Despite its importance to NIH research, our
current autoclave, while well maintained and heavily used, has lost pace with the current state-
of-the-art in sensitivity, reliability and timeliness for our animal and general biomedical research.
We thereby request funds to purchase a new efficient integrated Steam Sterilizer (autoclave) -
an integrated system that includes a microcomputer-controlled steam sterilizer, a steam boiler, a
water saving system and a control system - to allow for reliable sterilization of animal and
biomedical related research tools/materials to support our Major and Minor users that have a
need for this technology. A modern integrated autoclave will support us in ensuring efficient
workflows as well as a safe and contamination free vivarium and research environment. An
established sustained track record of heavy use over the last thirteen years, frequent
publications from the many NIH and externally funded biomedical researcher community and
mentored student research and training on Des Moines University’s campus will ensure that the
new integrated Steam Sterilizer will pay for itself in research productivity.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10533461
- **Project number:** 1R24OD033703-01
- **Recipient organization:** DES MOINES UNIV OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL CTR
- **Principal Investigator:** Maria J Barnes
- **Activity code:** R24 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $57,194
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-08-15 → 2023-08-14

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10533461

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10533461, Autoclave for DMU Shared Biomedical Research Facility (1R24OD033703-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10533461. Licensed CC0.

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