Facilities and Labs

Genetically Engineered Mouse Facility

The use of genetically engineered mouse models in all facets of biomedical research has increased dramatically in recent years. To address this research need, The Hamner completed renovations in 2002 to create a facility for breeding and housing genetically engineered mice that greatly expands The Hamner's animal care capabilities.

The Genetically Engineered Mouse (GEM) Facility, which is located within the existing Animal Care Facility, makes it possible for animal care staff to expand specialized breeding services and management of mouse colonies for investigators. The husbandry of each GEM model can be customized to minimize the potentially confounding influences of environment and disease on these unique, often sensitive animals.

The GEM Facility was created by remodeling several relatively small inhalation rooms containing fixed exposure chambers into larger, multipurpose animal research laboratories. The resulting efficiency in animal breeding and maintenance lowers the unit cost of using GEM models. The 2300 square feet of renovated laboratory space translates to an average daily census of 2000 to 11,000 mice depending on the housing system employed and cage population densities.

Although the facility can be used for many types of rodent studies, it is intended primarily for GEM models. By breeding animals in-house, investigators have maximum control over the animal and its environment from conception onward. Facility equipment and engineering controls allow for specialized animal housing and environmental control as well as chemical containment and waste stream management during experiments.