Proposal

The main purpose of this proposal is to standardize and enhance the quality of animal research training practices at FAU for both undergraduate and graduate students, by instructing students on the best methods for animal research prior to becoming a productive member of an animal research lab in one of the four research pillars at FAU. It is our expectation that by having students fully trained in appropriate animal research practices and procedures three main university outcomes will be achieved. The training will provide students with confidence performing experimental procedures and increase their desire to further progress their scientific quest at FAU. As the students will have a satisfactory experience in utilizing scientific animal models they will most likely continue research at other institutions as a natural progression of professional life spreading the word about excellence acquired at FAU. Furthermore, animal based research at FAU altogether will benefit since research quality will increase combined with ethical and humane use of animals.  

Analyzing across animal research labs at FAU, it is our goal that with appropriate training in animal research practices we will minimize non-experimental confounding variables, improve animal well-being as well as the environment in which the animals are maintained to reduce experimental variability, and enable optimal animal use through reduction of unnecessary duplication/repetition of studies due to poor outcome of procedures. This will lead to an overall enhancement of the quality and productivity of current animal models in our labs all facilitated by an effective research training program.

Animal research in areas such as Neuroscience and Molecular Biology is one of the research pillars that as shared by our President’s Strategic Plan is the aspiration of FAU to be recognized and distinguished nationwide for quality research. It is our objective at Veterinary Services to provide students with a strong background, knowledge and state of the art skills in experimental animal techniques related to both Neuroscience and Molecular Biology methods that with certainty will pave the road for best research practices.

In order for our department to accomplish this goal, it is our desire to significantly improve the existing research infrastructure, especially the training equipment that our Veterinary Services lab has to offer to students that are in need of training. Currently, our training classes are often accomplished by borrowing equipment from interested labs on training in Neuroscience or Molecular Biology techniques, one reason why access to mass training is limited for our public encompassing students from Biology and Psychology labs at the Jupiter campus (neurological pathways for learning and behavior), Complex Systems labs at the Boca campus (neuroanatomy circuitry), Biomedical Sciences labs (molecular biology pathways involved in brain mechanisms) as well as Education and Engineering labs.

We have evidenced the benefits of providing hands on training in research procedures that students will routinely conduct in animal labs prior to a research project to start, and it is our desire to bolster the access beyond individual training to an overall access FAU training route. As envisioned by our department, we would like to start by offering a training class in which students can identify with high resolution microscope targets being studied, and to expand the viewing field with LCD projectors to a number of students that will provide immediate access to the procedures being performed in the surgical field.

Therefore, this Technology Fee application proposes an excellent route to gain access to equipment that our department otherwise will lack due to budget constraints, having a potential impact on the training of our students and research overall at FAU.

This Technology Fee project application proposes two goals: (1) Obtain a WPI precision trifocal surgical microscope to train students in identification of and working on–neurological, cardiovascular and other tissues targeted in animal models of neuroscience  both in vivo and postmortem, as well as offering the microscope as core equipment. The latter especially to serve students conducting studies in Neuroscience topics with limited access to this type of equipment (2) Upgrade WPI precision trifocal microscope to permit video capture and projection of microscope work onto external monitors to maximize the number of students to be educated and trained.

Goal 1 Obtain a WPI precision trifocal surgical microscope to train students in identification of and working on–neurological, cardiovascular and other tissues targeted in animal models of neuroscience both in vivo and postmortem, as well as offering the microscope as core equipment. The latter especially to serve students conducting studies in Neuroscience topics with limited access to this type of equipment

Neuroscience research requires extreme attention to detail, especially when devising neuropathways, untangling issues such as neuroanatomy or just identifying brain molecular markers that are highly compromised in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases among others that afflict our population currently. Therefore, our department believes that if we provide the building blocks of appropriate research practices, our training will help to equip Neuroscience labs at FAU with students who are highly competent in research techniques such as neurological and cardiovascular tissue examination, Cerebral Spinal Fluid collection, neuroanatomy identification, guided necropsies among other procedures that currently our department trains on an individual and simplified basis due to technological constraints. If we are to be assigned funding through this proposal, we could jumpstart our training from being individualized to a broader spectrum of students who are in need of access to be trained in this type of procedures using sophisticated equipment. Having the ability to see anatomical structures and surgical procedures in “real time” affords students a much better learning experience. Vice versa this equipment will also allow the trainer to observe advanced students performing the taught procedures themselves in “real time” and allowing the trainer to intervene quickly or correct errors in an appropriate time frame. The overall improvement in training will provide opportunities to a large number of students who otherwise will not be able to develop Neuroscience projects of their choice due to lack of equipment such as this in our equipment core and therefore lack of necessary state of the art skills

Goal 2.  Upgrade WPI precision trifocal microscope to permit video capture and projection of microscope work onto external monitors to maximize the number of students to be educated and trained. As mentioned in our previous goal, we have been realizing in our current training sessions that techniques utilizing the microscope take time for trainees to learn due to complex comprehensive, visual and dexterity requirements. A major barrier to become proficient in these techniques is related to the fact that the student is unable to view live procedures under the microscope as they are presented by the trainer. Generally, training entails performing a procedure under the microscope and then allowing the student to look through the objective lenses to see the step by step procedure but after the fact, which allows inaccuracies and ambiguity to happen. Our current approach is outdated and training would improve if the group of students could watch the to-be-learned procedures on an external monitor or an individual student on a dual viewing microscope as they are performed live under the microscope. Therefore, the intention if assigned funding through this proposal is to outfit WPI precision trifocal surgical microscope with video cameras and components to permit feeding signal to external LCD monitors.

In essence, we would use the technological fee award to purchase equipment to upgrade aspects of the training program at FAU – Veterinary Services as well as to maximize access to better equipment at the core of Neuroscience equipment to be used by student sectors that otherwise would have to lack this experience. It is our expectation that these upgrades would elevate the knowledge and skills of the students and improve their understanding of the work. This proposal would benefit undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, medical students, and visiting scientists in several ways. The proposed goals will improve the efficiency of all student training on complicated surgical techniques, benefit graduate student projects by decreasing delays in tissue collection, and widen the scope of possibilities for student research training on exciting new approaches in animal research in areas such as Neuroscience and Molecular Biology. It is believed that these improvements to student training fit well with the FAU Quality Enhancement Plan initiative, especially focusing on the established research pillars of FAU. Therefore, this Technology Fee application, for purchasing hardware totaling $13267.93, represents an important and timely investment in FAU’s research infrastructure. The impact on the student body would be tremendous, keeping in mind the expected growth in research using animal models to about 30 research labs, each lab having about 4 graduated students and 2 undergraduate students. This would amount to 120 graduate and 60 undergraduate students who will be potentially work with this equipment. This is a rather conservative calculation. The equipment would certainly be one of the requirements to being able to recruit world class faculty who  will educate the next generation of scientists at FAU.

Alignment with FAU’s Strategic Plan and the recently initiated QEP program. For example, Goal 1 of the Strategic Plan is to increase access to higher education and to research activities and technology. Our proposal will permit our department to accomplish this by broaden our training topics and increase class sizes, but also to have equipment like this available to student populations limited in research resources. Goal 2 of the Strategic Plan is to build world-class academic programs and research capacity. Our proposal aligns with this goal insofar that it will not only enhance an already successful Neuroscience research program but also elevate the sophistication of training students and development of graduates with advanced degrees in Neuroscience and Molecular Biology disciplines. The project will enable us to increase the nationwide visibility of FAU as an academic body that pays attention to the quality of research practices, but also that provides reliable data in popular areas such as Neuroscience.

Our department annually attends conferences to stay up to date on how to keep enhancing quality of skills, for example Dr. Gografe and her training coordinator Helen Munchow attend scientific conferences such as AALAS, LAWTE and ASR that primarily address how to optimize and keep up to date with research practices in areas such as animal husbandry, training techniques and optimization of quality of training offered to students. Also, our department via Dr. Gografe regularly publishes articles in journals that focus on research practices such as JAALAS and Lab Animals. It is our intent that by participating in scientific meetings and publishing in scientific journals, our department will follow the intent from Strategic Planning, on making a name for FAU among other universities that is recognized for high quality of research findings, as well as the most impressive research practices.

Goal 1:

From WPI systems:

• 1 PSMB5N Surgioscope, Binocular $5,495.00 $5,495.00

• 1 501636 Adapter video C Mount $655.00 $655.00

• 1 501637 Beam Splitter PSMB/PSMT $655.00 $655.00

• 1 USBCAM50 Camera System USB 1/2" $800.00 $800.00

• 1 Z-LITE-186 Illuminator,FO,110V,W/BI LIGHT $534.00 $534.00

Subtotal $6,829.00

If completing in vivo procedures under the microscope, we will need to complement the set up with a vaporizer (Kent Scientific) for anesthesia and a warming surgical blanket (HotDog) for body temperature regulation.

From Kent Scientific:

•  1 VetFlo-1205S Single Channel System, includes new vaporizer, 0 to 1000mL

• 1 flowmeter, tabletop stand, inlet/outlet caps, gas filter canister, oxygen tubing, oxygen adapter: $ 2,975

• 1 VetFlo-7105 Anti-Spill Device for Funnel Fill Vaporizer $78

• 1 VetFlo-0705 0.5L Low Cost Induction Chamber $95

• 1 VetFlo-0730 3.0L Low Cost Induction Chamber $95

• 1 VetFlo-0801 Small Low Profile Facemask for mice $89

• 1 VetFlo-0803 Large Low Profile Facemask for rats (up to 300g) $89

• 1 VetFlo-2001-8 Activated Charcoal Absorption Filter 8/pk $88

• 1 IR-TW2 Non-Contact Infrared Thermometer $59

Subtotal: $3568

From HotDog:

• HotDog warming surgical system

• 1.00 V006 Veterinary Warming System Controller, Single Port EA $ 1850

• 1.00 V101 Veterinary Warming Blanket, Xtra Small EA $275

• 1.00 V102 Veterinary Warming Blanket, Small EA $300

• 1.00 VET FREIGHT Vet Freight EA $48

Subtotal $ 2,473.00
For Goal 2:

From Amazon Prime:

• (2) ViewSonic VX2703MH-LED 27" LED-Lit LCD monitor ($229.44 each)

• (2) VideoSecu wall mount articulating arm tilt swivel bracket ($19.99 each)

In the event that this project is funded, our department has estimated with WPI, Kent Scientific and HotDog systems that all equipment for the project would be received and installed within a month. It is anticipated that training project can start as of 2016.

Our department will maintain the purchased equipment after enhancements to our training program are underway. Indeed, our department hopes that upgrades in the training infrastructure and available training equipment, will provide a better preparation for FAU to its future application for AAALAC accreditation. This will escalate the benefit from our starting point with students (graduate and undergraduate) to including our faculty, since such accreditation certifies that research practices at FAU are in compliance with the rest of the scientific community and bolstering extramural funding opportunities with agencies such NIH and NSF.

As originally stated, if granted access to funds via this proposal it will allow us to upgrade our infrastructure of core equipment and amplify our outreach for training candidates, benefitting in specific College of Medicine promoting biomedical research in groups that focus on progression of brain healthy aging by recognizing biomedical markers, as well as College of Science in departments that focus on neuroanatomy and neuromechanisms of learning and memory affected by neurodegenerative disorders. This means that implementation of technology funds will have about 120 graduate students benefitting from our training enhancements, and about 60 undergraduate students although this number could be higher based on undergraduate students receiving grant projects, Direct independent studies and volunteering at labs that will receive appropriate training to continue their research path at FAU once being promoted to the graduate program.