Shared Resource: Comparative Medicine

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle WA

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY: COMPARATIVE MEDICINE SHARED RESOURCE (CMSR) The Comparative Medicine Shared Resource (CMSR), located at the Fred Hutch (FH), provides high quality support for preclinical research performed by Consortium investigators. It achieves this through specialized support structures, technology, and personnel expertise. CMSR maintains an AAALAC-accredited, USDA- registered, and PHS-assured facility. CMSR is staffed by three clinical veterinarians with expertise in laboratory animal medicine, animal-use regulations, and facility management and husbandry. An additional 45 personnel provide daily care and treatment to five species of animals currently housed at FH ? mice, rats, dogs, fish, and guinea pigs ? and deliver exceptional husbandry to maintain microbiologic and environmental control of animal colonies. This care encompasses the needs of many specialized animal models of cancer and cancer-related disease states such as transplanted or induced liquid and solid tumors, cancer-related pathogens, graft- versus-host disease, and conditions and treatments related to radiation therapy. The small animal facility is a centralized barrier facility with special areas to accommodate radioactive agents and infectious agents. CMSR specialty services include patient-derived-xenograft (PDX) models and preclinical imaging support in collaboration with the Translational BioImaging Core Shared Resource (TBICSR). A full time veterinary comparative pathologist is available for consultation and collaboration with researchers. Equipment support for CMSR includes individually ventilated micro-isolator rodent cages, a full service rodent cage wash and autoclaves, and numerous surgical-ready procedure rooms for rodent users. Canine support includes specialized housing for Severe Combined Immune Deficiency (SCID) and Pyruvate Kinase (PK) deficient animals, a comprehensive surgical suite and procedure area, and a Linear Accelerator dedicated to preclinical research. CMSR supplies an invaluable, centralized resource to support high quality preclinical studies. Historically, animal models contributed to Nobel Prize winning research in bone marrow transplantation and hematopoietic cancers. The continued expansion of scope and volume of animal-related work now includes solid tumor and cancer-related pathogen research.