# Modernization of the UTHSC Animal Care Facility

> **NIH NIH R24** · UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE HEALTH SCI CTR · 2022 · $320,468

## Abstract

The Laboratory Animal Care Unit (LACU) is 1 of 9 institutional cores within the UTHSC Office of
Research and is responsible for providing all laboratory animal services and regulatory
oversight for the UTHSC campus across 6 animal facilities. The LACU supports the animal
research needs of 120 active principal investigators (PIs) on the UTHSC campus.
The newest animal facility addition to the campus is the UTHSC Animal Care Facility (UACF),
which was constructed in 2012 by a local foundation and purchased by UTHSC in 2021.The
facility currently supports the animal research needs of 19 UTHSC PIs, and 1 local
biotechnology company, with funding and grants totaling $41,248,674. It also is the primary
animal facility where work with large animals (pigs, dogs, non-human primates, goats etc.) can
be performed. While the facility is of sound design and quality, several features are missing that
are standard in modern animal facilities. The primary deficiency is an automated animal
watering system (AWS) which, as a result, obligates the use of individual cage water bottles (for
rodents) or water bowls/troughs (for larger animals). This creates increased labor costs
associated with the filling, cleaning, cage placement and monitoring of water bottles by both
animal facility and research staff. An AWS delivers a more consistent water supply throughout
the facility, thus reducing potential variability from animal to animal which would affect data
collection. Automated watering systems also have built in alarms, which send notification should
an increase in the water flow amount be detected, which indicates the presence of an active
leak. These leaks can then be corrected, thus preventing loss of animals due to drowning within
a cage. In contrast, an alarm system is not possible when providing water bottles, and the use
of water bottles for rodents is associated with more instances of cage flooding and animal
welfare concerns. The use of an AWS is associated with decreased water and energy
requirements, and a reduced risk of ergonomic injuries in personnel. Finally, an AWS also
provides a considerable savings in labor costs, and frees up time for technicians to devote to
other important duties related to animal care.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10533520
- **Project number:** 1R24OD033718-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE HEALTH SCI CTR
- **Principal Investigator:** David John Hamilton
- **Activity code:** R24 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $320,468
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-07-01 → 2023-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10533520

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10533520, Modernization of the UTHSC Animal Care Facility (1R24OD033718-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10533520. Licensed CC0.

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