U of C has 6 central animal facilities (info below) and 6 satellite facilities (mostly aquatics) with total square footage of ~139,000 sq. ft.

Gordon Center for Integrative Science is a 21,261 NSF mouse barrier facility equipped with 5 housing suites and a cage wash facility. Each suite contains 1-2 procedure rooms and 3-4 animal housing rooms. There is also an irradiator room and the facility houses the Transgenic Mouse Production Core.

Howard T Ricketts Regional Biocontainment Laboratory is an off-site 13,111 NSF ABSL3 Select Agent rodent vivarium with a cage wash facility, 6 animal holding rooms, two procedure rooms, an aerosol exposure room, and a tissue processing/necropsy room. Mice, guinea pigs, and rats are housed in this facility.

Carlson Animal Research Facility is a two floor 49,666 NSF facility with a 3,000 NSF receiving facility and houses rodents and large animal species. It contains an ABSL2 containment facility, a USDA species surgical facility, a rodent quarantine facility, and a cage wash facility. iSAIRR Imaging Suite holds the Integrated Small Animal Imaging Research Resource Facility which mostly rodent imaging modalities such as MRI, Xenogen IVIS 200 Imaging System, a MicroPET/SPECT/CT, and rodent ultrasound.

Culver is a 2,525 NSF facility housing a variety of non-traditional species such as birds and fish. It contains 7 animal rooms and a cage wash area. The facility houses zebra finch and starlings, zebrafish and other fish species (occasionally present).

Biopsychology Research Building is a 9,653 NSF vivarium with rooms for rats, hamsters, zebra finch and mice. The vivarium is equipped with a cage wash facility and multiple procedural rooms designed for behavioral studies.

Knapp Center for Biomedical Discovery is a 22,291 NSF rodent barrier facility with 30 animal housing rooms, 14 procedure rooms, and a cage wash facility. In addition to general mouse housing, it houses the Gnotobiotic Research Animal Facility. The Gnotobiotic Research Animal Facility currently occupies 12 rooms and currently has over 100 isolators. There are separate rooms to allow some isolators to be on an alternate light cycle for specific research studies. Four autoclaves and materials processing area are located within and dedicated to the facility.

Carlson Animal Research Facility is a two floor 49,666 NSF facility with a 3,000 NSF receiving facility and houses rodents and large animal species. It contains an ABSL2/3 containment facility, a USDA species surgical facility, a rodent quarantine facility, and a cage wash facility. Located within this facility are portions of the Integrated Small Animal Imaging Research Resource Facility which mostly rodent imaging modalities such as MRI, Xenogen IVIS 200 Imaging System, a MicroPET/SPECT/CT and rodent ultrasound.

Culver is a 2,525 NSF facility housing a variety of non-traditional species such as birds and fish. It contains 7 animal rooms and a cage wash area. The facility houses zebra finch and starlings, zebrafish and other fish species (occasionally present).

Biopsychology Research Building is a 9,653 NSF vivarium with rooms for rats, hamsters, zebra finch and mice. The vivarium is equipped with a cage wash facility and multiple procedural rooms designed for behavioral studies.

Knapp Center for Biomedical Discovery is a 22,291 NSF rodent barrier facility with 30 animal housing rooms, 14 procedure rooms, and a cage wash facility. In addition to general mouse housing, it houses the Gnotobiotic Research Animal Facility. The Gnotobiotic Research Animal Facility currently occupies 2007 sq. ft. of space divided among 5 room and currently has 47 isolators. There are separate rooms to allow some isolators to be on an alternate light cycle for specific research studies. Average census is 1638 germ free and gnotobiotic mice. An autoclave and materials processing area are located within and dedicated to the facility.

The University of Chicago Laboratory Animal Medicine Training Program is a 3-year non-degree seeking American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM) recognized residency program intended for veterinarians who want to pursue a career in the laboratory animal medicine field. The principal aim of the program is to provide the trainee with the knowledge and technical skills necessary to develop a successful career in laboratory animal medicine and science in an academic or industry setting.  Five board certified ACLAM diplomates participate in the program and Dr. Kerith Luchins, the Training Program Director, acts as a direct mentor throughout the residency. The trainee will be involved in all aspects of animal care and use at the University of Chicago, one of nation's leading biomedical research facilities, which is comprised  of 6 central animal facilities and 6 satellite facilities with a total square footage of ~139,000 sq. ft.

The program goals are met through the following 3 training elements:

Experience: The supervised experience will be split into multiple clinical rotations these various specialties: Small Animal, Large Animal/Nonhuman Primate, Aquatics, Facilities Management & Operations (including gnotobiotics), Regulatory Compliance (throughout all 3 years), Office of Shared Research Facilities and Research Safety. The resident will rotate through these rotations during the 1st and 3rd year of the program. The aims of these rotations are for the trainee to:

• Prevent, control, diagnose, and treat diseases of laboratory animals
• Recognize and minimize pain and distress
• Develop enrichment programs for various species
• Provide veterinary services to support research including surgical models
• Perform and manage animal husbandry
• Consult with investigators on protocol development and selection of animal models
• Provide necessary investigator and personnel training
• Understand the regulatory role of the Attending Veterinarian by reviewing  IACUC protocols, attending IACUC meetings/semi-annual inspections and IBC meetings

• Laboratory animal didactic lecture series: weekly
  • Year 1: “Blue book”
  • Year 2: Regulations
• • Two year series that is repeated year 3
  • Recaps of other year’s material included
  • Quarterly mock exams
• Boards-oriented journal club: monthly
• Pathology rounds: biweekly
• Various other educational seminars: monthly-quarterly
• Boards-oriented questions: daily chat
• Resident study group with University of Illinois at Chicago: weekly

The goals are to:

• Understand and interpret the laws regulations and guidelines for the humane care and use of animals in research
• Learn basics of laboratory animal biology and diseases
• Become prepared for the certifying examination of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine

The research project, which will occur during year 2, will either be a collaborative project in the lab of a U of C faculty member or a clinical laboratory animal medicine project within the department. The aims are for the trainee to:

• Conduct individual and collaborative research
• Complete research project that involves writing an IACUC protocol, performing literature searches, developing hypotheses, collecting data, performing statistical evaluations, writing and submitting a paper for publication in a peer-reviewed journal to fulfill ACLAM-board exam requirement
• Present research findings at national meeting

1. Clancy BM, Theriault BR, Schoenberger JM, Bowers CJ, Mitchell CM, Langan GP, Ostdiek AM, Luchins KR. Identification and Control of an Ornithonyssus Bacoti Infestation in a Rodent Vivarium by Using Molecular Diagnostic Techniques. Comp Med. 2022 Apr 1;72(2):113-121.
2. Mitchell CM, Salyards GW, Theriault BR, Langan GP, Luchins KR. Evaluation of Pain and Distress and Therapeutic Interventions for Rectal Prolapse in Mice to Reduce Early Study Removal. J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci. 2021 Nov 1;60(6):692-699.
3. Pach NM, Luchins KR, Broman MT, Langan GP, Theriault BR. Long-Term Effects of Sulfadiazine-Trimethoprim Medicated Diet on Cardiac Function, Hematology, and Weight Gain in Hsd:ICR (CD1) and Tac:SW Mice. Comp Med. 2021 Feb 1;71(1):66-75.
4. Pach NM, Luchins KR, Kim GH, Langan GP, Theriault BR. Unexpected Cardiomyopathy and Cardiac Dysfunction after Administration of Sulfadiazine-trimethoprim Medicated Diet to ICR mice (Mus musculus). Comp Med. 2020 Aug 1;70(4):384-389.
5. Mailhiot D, Ostdiek AM, Luchins KR, Bowers CJ, Theriault BR, Langan GP. Comparing Mouse Health Monitoring Between Soiled-bedding Sentinel and Exhaust Air Dust Surveillance Programs. J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci. 2020 Jan 1;59(1):58-66.

Support to attend regional and national scientific meetings, off-campus didactic courses, and off-campus externships.