Institution TypePublic University
Is there a medical school?Yes
Is this a land-grant institution?Yes
Vivarium DirectorDr. Valerie K Bergdall  
Program DirectorDr. Stacey Meeker
Who to ContactDr. Stacey Meeker
Address400 W 12th Ave., Rm 111, Columbus, OH  43210
Phone(614) 292-0148
Fax(614) 292-9282
Emaillamresidency@osu.edu

Vivarium Information

Vivarium NameUniversity Laboratory Animal Resources
Is the facility AAALAC accredited?Yes
Describe management structureMultiple vivaria managed under one administrative unit
Describe the extent to which your facilities are centralizedOhio State has 9 centralized biomedical vivarium facilities located on main campus. In addition, there are several off-off campus facilities housing primarily livestock and aquatic species used in both biomedical and agricultural research.
Vivarium Square Feet>170,000
Summarize the nature of the animal population and the predominant types of clinical activities

The current annual census is approximately 200,000 census units with a diverse range of species including mice, rats, rabbits, pigs, dog, cats, farm animals, non-human primates and various exotics.  The Ohio State University’s large, consolidated animal care program supports an extensive and comprehensive research program including researchers from the Colleges of Medicine and Public Health, Veterinary Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Biological Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences, and the College of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences. The Office of the Attending Veterinarian is responsible for management of all agricultural and biomedical animal research facilities on campus which offers unique experiences to our residents.  

ULAR provides core services to help meet the needs of the various areas of study. 

  • Centralized surgery suite with a dedicated surgical staff and space
  • Rodent diagnostic laboratory
  • Pathology services
  • Training and technical services

Number of Veterinarians in program8
Number of ACLAM Diplomates in program6
Number of Boarded Pathologists0
Number of Other Boarded Veterinary Specialists2
Number of necropsies/week in the veterinary unit20
Number of surgical cases/week in the veterinary unit10

Training Program Details

Is this program recognized by ACLAM?Yes
Does this program participate in the Veterinary Internship & Residency Matching Program (VIRMP)?Yes
Number of concurrent residents3
How many residents/trainees have completed this program?18
Of these, how many have subsequently become ACLAM Diplomates?14
In what year did the program accept its first trainee?2005
How many years are required to complete this program (residency only)?3
Is formal coursework offered?Yes
Is a degree program associated with this residency?Yes
If yes, what degree(s)?MS
Which departments most commonly grant degree(s)?

Veterinary Medicine (Comparative Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program)

Give an overview of this program, describing its particular strengths and any unique aspects that are not addressed in any of the other sections

Our ACLAM certified training program is designed to provide Trainees with a broad exposure to all facets of laboratory animal medicine for a multitude of careers in biomedical research. Over the course of the 3-year program, students will gain exposure to a wide variety of species. Upon the completion of the program, trainees will:

  • Be familiar with the regulations and guidelines applicable to biomedical research
  • Be able to formulate a preventive medicine program as it applies to a laboratory animal population
  • Participated in a research project culminating in preparation of a first author paper and submission to a peer-reviewed journal
  • Have an understanding of the researchers' needs related to animal models
  • Be able to recognize clinical and pathologic changes of common laboratory animal diseases
  • Have an awareness of personnel management issues relating to laboratory animal medicine
  • Be familiar with resources related to laboratory animal medicine including publications, web sites, organizations, and continuing education

Residents will have dedicated rotations in rodent medicine, large animal medicine, experimental surgery, colony health surveillance & import / exports, IACUC, investigator training, and facility operations. While rotating through these areas, trainees will gain experience in the following:

  • Species-specific medicine – diagnosis, treatment, preventive medicine and surgical models
  • Investigator interactions – training, IACUC protocol development, model development and trouble shooting
  • IACUC functions – protocol review, semi-annual inspections and reporting requirements
  • Training – train both personnel and investigators on animal handling techniques and special procedures
  • Animal care program management – personnel issues, SOP’s, facility design, occupational health and biohazard management

Students will have approximately 12 months of dedicated research time divided over the 36 month residency.  The research component will have the expectation that a primary author publication will result from this experience. The chosen research topic can be in any department/laboratory on main campus, allowing for a full range of options. Trainees will be expected to present an abstract at the National AALAS meeting and attend the Charles River short course or similar educational meeting during the training program.

Residents will also participate in didactic training comprised of a year-round seminar series and journal club focusing on the components outlined in the ACLAM Role Delineation Document and emphasizing preparation for ACLAM Board Certification. Additional opportunities are available to participate in the veterinary pathology lab animal courses and a variety of seminars across campus.

Describe any unique research interests of your faculty

While virtually all areas of research are represented on this campus, the predominant categories are cancer, cardiovascular disease, immunology, genetics, virology and neuropsychology.

Give a few literature citations of publications completed by trainees during their tenure in this program
  • Walker MM, Harrison DM, Collins TA, Bergdall VK. Evaluation of rodent cage processing using reduced water temperatures. J. Am. Assoc. Lab. Anim. Sci. 60:442-450.
  • Collins TA, Cabrera S, Teets E, Shaffer J, Blaser BW. An optimized zebrafish nursery feeding regimen improves growth rates and labor costs. Zebrafish. 18:346-353.
  • Collins TA, Sparks AE, Walker MM, Kendall LV, Dobos KM, Bergdall VK, Hickman-Davis JM. Reuse of disposable isolation gowns in rodent facilities during a pandemic. J. Am. Assoc. Lab. Anim. Sci. 60:431-441.
  • Nolan KE, Baer LA, Karekar P, Nelson AM, Stanford KI, Doolittle LM, Rosas LE, Hickman-Davis JM, Singh H, Davis IC. Metabolic shifts modulate lung injury caused by infection with H1N1 influenza A virus. Virology. 559:111-119.
  • Emmer KM, Celeste NA, Bidot WA, Perret-Gentil MI, Malbrue RA. Evaluation of the sterility of press'n seal cling film for use in rodent surgery. J. Am. Assoc. Lab. Anim. Sci. 58:235-239.
  • Emmer KM, Walker WH, Zhang N, DeVries AC. Mammary tumor and mastectomy synergistically promote neuroinflammation in a breast cancer survivor model. Brain Res. 1707:133-140.
  • Celeste NA, Emmer KM, Bidot WA, Perret-Gentil MI, Malbrue RA. Effects of cling film draping material on body temperature of mice during surgery. J. Am. Assoc. Lab. Anim. Sci. 60:195-200.
  • Brannick KE, Craig ZR, Himes AD, Peretz JR, Wang W, Flaws JA, Raetzman LT. Prenatal exposure to low doses of bisphenol A increases pituitary proliferation and gonadotroph number in female mice offspring at birth. Biol. Reprod. 87:82.
  • LeMoine DM, Bergdall VK, Freed C. Performance analysis of exam gloves used for aseptic rodent surgery. J. Am. Assoc. Lab. Anim. Sci. 54:311-316.
  • Martin TL, Jee J, Kim E, Steiner HE, Cormet-Boyaka E, Boyaka PN. Sublingual targeting of STING with 3'3'-cGAMP promotes systemic and mucosal immunity against anthrax toxins. Vaccine. 35:2511-2519.
Where will vacancies be advertised?ACLAM website, ASLAP website, & VIRMP
What month does the program begin?July

Living and Working

Starting Annual Salary$54,840
To what extent is travel to meetings, etc. paid for?Provisions are providing for attending two national meetings over the three-year program. This usually includes the National AALAS meeting and an ACLAM boards preparation short course.
Is individual health insurance provided?Yes
Is family health insurance provided?Yes
Describe any fees or tuitionTrainees are considered employees of the university. Trainees enrolled in the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) MS program will receive employee fee waivers to cover the cost of tuition according to the state of Ohio requirements. Trainees enrolled in the CVM MS program are responsible for taxable benefit as described upon acceptance to the program and student activity fees.
Describe the residents' responsibilities for night, weekend, and holiday coverageVeterinary on call is assigned on a rotating schedule between the resident and faculty veterinarians with each resident covering 1-2 weekends on call per month.
How many annual vacation days are given?Up to 5 personal days are given per year
How many annual sick days are given?Sick time is accrued according to University policy depending on length of service but averages approximately 8 hours of accrual per month.
Briefly describe the communityThe Columbus metropolitan area is about 1.5 million people. It has a strong economy, affordable housing options, and diverse cultural activites.
Institutional, facility, or training program web site   

https://research.osu.edu/research-responsibilities-and-compliance/animal-care-and-use/laboratory-animal-medicine-training