Animal Care Program

National Institute Of Neurological Disorders And Stroke

Investigators

Abstract

The NINDS AHCS is responsible for all aspects of the care and use of laboratory animals in the intramural, AAALAC-accredited animal program of the NINDS, the National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), as well as animals from eleven other institutes housed in the Porter SAF. In FY 2025, the AHCS supported an average census of 16,874 rodent cages in NINDS- managed facilities. In addition, AHCS staff provided clinical veterinary care as well as physical health optimization, behavioral management, genetic enhancement, and research support for an average census of 130 nonhuman primates (common marmosets and macaques) housed in the NEI-managed vivarium in Building 49. Marmoset imaging was performed in the 7T scanner in 49/B2-102. The AHCS provides a comprehensive animal care program including clinical veterinary care and animal health expertise, training of vivarium staff and investigative personnel, operations support, and administration and review of proposed animal studies through the NINDS/NIDCD/NCCIH Animal Care and Use Committee (ACUC). In FY 25, the ACUC office processed 24 animal study proposals and 174 protocol amendments. In addition, 19 protocols and 33 amendments were reviewed by veterinary and facility staff to ensure our animal facility could support the research needs. In total, the AHCS supported 99 laboratories using animals in biomedical research (on 141 animal study proposals) in order to seek fundamental knowledge about the nervous system and inform the development of therapies for neurologic disease.