PAR04-122, Extramural Research Facilities Construction:* - DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): An introduction to the revisions contained in this application may be found in the following section. To become a "metropolitan research university of distinction" is the goal of the new president of Boise State University (BSU). To become a Carnegie Research Intensive Institution is the goal of our Strategic Plan for Research. Our rapidly emerging biomedical research program will be a key part of meeting those goals. Funding is requested to construct a state-of-the-art animal holding facility, the Biomedical Research Vivarium (BRV), which will have a size of approximately 9,300 feet.2 The BRV would provide important infrastructure support for present and future biomedical research and training at BSU and at our two local outreach partners, Northwest Nazarene University and Albertson College of Idaho. The structure and animal care program of the BRV will be of a quality to enable us to secure timely accreditation from AAALAC (Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care). Researchers at BSU utilize a multidisciplinary approach, combining molecular, cellular, biophysical, and biochemical methods, and using in vitro and animal models in biomedical research programs to address such topics as tumor progression, cardiotoxic side effects of chemotherapy, Alzheimer's Disease, Rett Syndrome, arthritis, asthma, bioimaging, vaccine development, biocompatible polymers, and tissue regeneration. In accordance with Boise State University's long-term goals, we continue to expand infrastructure, increase funding levels, and increase faculty numbers associated with biomedical research. Presently, however, there is no animal care facility on campus. Instead, researchers either must rely on collaborators or must house research animals at the Boise Veterans Affairs Medical Center, a facility of limited capacity located across town from our researchers. Key in the continued development of our research efforts, therefore, is the construction of a research vivarium. With a new vivarium, (i) we will pursue more research projects of greater variety, (ii) we will collaborate in more multidisciplinary research programs, (iii) we will recruit outstanding faculty members and students, and (iv) we will serve as stronger mentors to nearby outreach partners. The construction of a vivarium will increase our competitiveness to attract extramural funding, increase the productivity and efficiency of our research, and increase our ability to address national health needs.
