# Replacement Tunnel Washer/Bedding Dispenser for Innovative Investigations

> **NIH NIH R24** · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · 2022 · $283,271

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
This proposal requests funds to purchase a new tunnel washer with integrated bedding dispenser for
processing laboratory rodent cages and other husbandry supplies. This unit is a central component of a
vivarium on our medical campus that currently houses 3200 cages to perform breeding and maintenance of
conventional and genetically modified mice currently for 43 Principal Investigators and 46 IACUC protocols,
supported by current research funding totaling $107.8M for Boston University Medical School faculty alone (of
which $84.8M is provided by NIH). The research for which these animals are intended comprise biomedical
research disciplines as varied as memory, neuromotor control, innate immunity and sepsis, skin or colorectal
cancer, bone formation, opioid addiction, heart failure, embryogenesis, obesity, traumatic brain injury, and
acute pancreatitis, to mention a few. This integrated equipment unit will replace an older tunnel
washer/bedding dispenser prone to increasingly frequent breakdowns and repairs. In addition to providing a
reliable and more energy-efficient upgrade, the replacement unit will facilitate testing innovative cage
processing to improve how this laboratory mouse colony (and by example, possibly others) is managed.
Operational enhancements to be evaluated with the new unit include: (1) optimizing rather than maximizing
batches of cages and cage peripherals via a downstream “pull” system of demand, for more efficient
throughput for the entire cage processing sequence; (2) using water temperatures cooler than the standard
180 degree F for wash and rinse cycles to provide a more comfortable working environment and reduce
energy consumption further; (3) reducing or eliminating reliance on chemical detergents for more
environmentally benign effluent; (4) evaluating sensors installed in critical mechanical components to monitor
wear and tear and permit condition-based maintenance (known as “CBM” in high performance machinery
jargon) that may identify looming parts failures or avoid unnecessary machine service calls from calendar-
driven maintenance programs; (5) switching types of bedding or other substrates easily to match the need of a
given mouse line or phenotype for better production of litters and their survival; (6) replacing scheduled cage
changes with changes based solely on intra-cage conditions to reduce waste and optimize animal comfort. All
these potential variations and others begin with the requirement to create no additional risk to animals,
science, or personnel and no net increase in operational expenses.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10533554
- **Project number:** 1R24OD033722-01
- **Recipient organization:** BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS
- **Principal Investigator:** Steven M. Niemi
- **Activity code:** R24 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $283,271
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-08-01 → 2023-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10533554

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10533554, Replacement Tunnel Washer/Bedding Dispenser for Innovative Investigations (1R24OD033722-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10533554. Licensed CC0.

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