Project Summary/Abstract
The shared-use animal research facility (vivarium) at South Dakota State University
(SDSU) aims to improve occupational health and safety of staff and support growing the
capacity and variety of biomedical research with the installation of a modern, large
capacity pass-through autoclave. The current small, single-door model autoclave is near
end-of-life with 20+ years of service and increased maintenance costs. This increased
risk of failure or extended downtime due to maintenance could jeopardize research
projects, including those supported by a $10.8 million NIH COBRE Phase 1 award.
The SDSU vivarium supports research across multiple disciplines from biology,
chemistry, and pharmacy to veterinary medicine and animal science. Among those
supported by NIH, SDSU investigators currently lead 10 projects with $5.3+ million in
active awards (NIH RePORTER, accessed Nov. 4, 2022). More than half of this funding
supports investigators who currently use the vivarium for their research. The vivarium’s
modernization effort is driven by not only the needs of NIH-funded investigators’ but of
the overall needs of investigators using the shared-use facility. The university has
responded with investing in and prioritizing infrastructure for biomedical research needs.
Specifically, the 33,495-square foot facility supports BSL1, BSL2, BSL 2+ (BSL =
Biological Safety Levels) and gnotobiotic animal research programs for the university
and surrounding research community. The university veterinarian, the vivarium
manager, and technicians work directly with researchers in daily and on-going research
support needs. Services include a range of options from basic animal care and breeding
colony management to complete gnotobiotic and surgical services. The university’s
strategic priority of improving research infrastructure guides the modernization of the
facility in recent years and has required a high level of oversight and management by
the university veterinarian and vivarium staff.
In modernizing the autoclave, a core piece of equipment, the vivarium will increase
efficiencies in biosecurity, animal welfare and compliance, staff labor and support
services, equipment operations and maintenance. This will provide researchers more
comprehensive use of the vivarium, opportunity for expanding their projects, and
increased capacity to support the university’s growing biomedical research.