Facilities and Services
Since most users of laboratory animals at ETSU are faculty members of the James H. Quillen College of Medicine, the DLAR is administratively integrated into the College of Medicine. The Director of the DLAR answers to the Associate Dean for Finance and Administration of the College of Medicine on matters pertaining to management and budget and to the ETSU Vice Provost for Research in matters concerning the care and use of animals.
The DLAR maintains two (2) central animal facilities, one on the ETSU campus and one on the VA campus. The facilities provide thirty (30) animal rooms with a total of 6820 square feet; 7730 square feet are reserved for such service functions as equipment washing, storage, animal receiving, veterinary services, administration, and personnel services. A surgery room and five (5) special procedure laboratories are maintained to support research and teaching endeavors.
The success of the DLAR to support the teaching and research program at ETSU is dependent on people: the teachers, the researchers, the technicians, and the laboratory animal care personnel. Communication and cooperation regarding project goals, special requirements, matters pertaining to animal health, and use of resources must be maintained between all groups involved. Beginning with the protocol of an experiment and continuing to the completion of a study, careful planning and clear communication are essential to create and maintain an orderly and efficient interface between the animal facility and the research and teaching laboratories.
The primary aim of personnel in the Division of Laboratory Animal Resources is the continual upgrading of the research and teaching programs at East Tennessee State University through proper care and use of laboratory animals. The DLAR encourages comments regarding improvement of services provided by this department.
Security and After Hours Access
Only authorized personnel are allowed in the DLAR facilities and ETSU identification
badges are required. All visitors must check in at the DLAR main office. The facility
is secured outside regular business hours, weekends, scheduled holidays, inclement
weather and emergency closures. Authorization for after hours access is required by
both the DLAR and Campus I.D. Services. All personnel requesting access must be an
associate on an UCAC approved protocol, and must have completed OHP, training, and orientation requirements.
To have an I.D. card activated for Onity access to the facility, contact the Assistant Director of DLAR.
Goals of the DLAR
- High standards of animal care
- Disease prevention through sanitation practices and traffic control
- Humane treatment of all animals used at ETSU
- Training in the proper use and handling of laboratory animals by students, faculty, and staff
- Certification of DLAR personnel by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS)
Services offered by the DLAR
DLAR Office
- Procurement of animals
- Procurement of appropriate feed, bedding, cages, other supplies and equipment
- Invoicing for maintenance of animals
- Coordination of the occupational health program for personnel having contact with laboratory animals
- Maintenance of registration and accreditation
Animal Resources Section
- Routine and specialized daily animal care
- Animal breeding colony maintenance
- Animal cage sanitation
- Monitoring of animal room environment
- Sanitation of animal facilities
- Animal housing space assignment
- Maintenance of facility and equipment
- Waste and carcass disposal
- Maintenance of facility security system
- Vermin control program
Professional Services
- Animal use protocol review
- Animal health surveillance
- Laboratory animal medicine
- Cage and facility sanitation surveillance
- Experimental surgery
- Postsurgical care
- Animal restraint
- Animal anesthesia
- Assistance in animal use protocol development
- Instruction in use and handling of animals