By Dr. Mohamed L. Salem, PhD Prof. of Immunology Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Egypt Presented at the AEAS Annual Conference of AEAS, Cairo December 18, 2006

1. ANIMAL CORE FACILITY
(VIVARIUM)
Mohamed L. Salem, PhD
Prof. of Immunology
Zoology Department, Faculty of
Science, Tanta University, Egypt
AEAS Annual Conference of AEAS,
Cairo
December 18, 2006

2. Components of Successful Research
Legs (Resources: Budget)
Arms (Manipulation of the
idea: Infrastructure)
Head
(Creativity: Information
Critical Thinking= novel idea)
Environment
(Communications:
Policies
Legislation)

3. ANIMAL CORE FACILITY
Establishing Core Facilities for:
• Experimental animal models
• Animal and human cell lines and tissues.

4. Animal core facility
Why do we need Animal Core Facility?
- Performing high quality of research requires availability
of experimental animal models.
- Availability of established animal models is essential
for translation of preclinical findings to serve clinical
settings.
- Availability of animal facility is a must for the
accreditation system.
- Improving research quality in Egypt is a must to
enhance the levels of the Egyptian Research Institutes
to compete with the international standard.

5. Animal core facility
Resources:
Jackson Lab., Harlan, and Taconic (USA).
Laboratory Animals:
• Wild type mice and rats.
• Transgenic mice and rats of different strains.
• Knockout mice and rats of certain genes
• Animal models for cancer
• Animal models for different diseases

6. Animal core facility
The aims of establishing FRDP are to:
• Utilize the technology resources to stimulate sustainable
science and technology infrastructure improvements at
institutions in Egypt.
• Accelerate the ability of researchers to compete for federal
and private sector research and development funding.
• Support economic growth through the state’s colleges and
universities faculty.
• Set up valuable resources that can influence Egypt’s
research capacity in the 21st century
• Control research quality based on a standardized
accreditation

7. How to establish the animal core facility:
Phase I:
• Setting up the state-of-art infrastructure of the core facility,
where the animals will be imported and bred
• Establishing the Division of the Laboratory Animal
Resources (DLAR).
• Establishing the Institutional Animal Care and Use
Committee (IACUC)
• Importing animal models from established foreign resource
• Enrolling, by-law, the research institutes in in this system.
Animal core facility

8. Animal core facility
How to establish the animal core facility:
Phase II:
- Recruit staffs from the external sources to train the
researchers in Egypt.
- Intellectual and technical training of the investigators at the
time of establishing the core facility.
- Appoint the Faculty and Staffs required for the entire
project.
- Set up research missions to send selected staffs to visit
foreign sites to gain practical experience.

10. Institutional Animal Care and Use
Committee (IACUC)
The IACUC charge is to:
- Review and approve the animal welfare aspects or all research
and instruction.
- Review program for the humane care and use of animals.
- Submit reports to the Vice-President for Academic Affairs.
- Make recommendations to the Vice-President for Academic
Affairs regarding any aspect of animal program, facilities, or
personnel training.
- Conduct inspections on all animal facilities.
- Suspend any activity involving animals which violates
applicable regulations, policies, or procedures, or an
approved protocol.

11. Animal core facility
How to establish the animal core facility:
Phase III:
Accredit DLAR by the Association for the
Assessment and Accreditation of
Laboratory Animal Care, International
(AAALAC).

12. Association for Assessment and
Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care
(AAALAC)
What is AAALAC?
AAALAC International is a private, nonprofit organization
that promotes the humane treatment of animals in science
through voluntary accreditation and assessment programs.
More than 700 companies, universities, hospitals,
government agencies and other research institutions in 28
countries have earned AAALAC accreditation

13. Steps to earning accreditation from
The AAALAC International
1. Submission of an extensive document called “Program
Description” to which describes all aspects of the animal care
and use program (policies, animal housing and management,
veterinary care, and facilities) to AAALAC.
2. Evaluation of the Program by AAALAC.
3. Correction of any deficiencies might be found.
4. Re-submit to get the accreditation.
5. Member Organization appoints a representative to serve on
the AAALAC International Board of Trustees.
6. Submission an "annual report" every year.
7. Accreditation must be re-evaluated every 3 years

14. Criteria for Accreditation
Active animal care and use programs, including:
• Animals
• Facilities and equipment
• Professional, technical, and administrative support
- Policies and programs for institutional responsibilities
animal husbandry and veterinary care
• The space available for animal holding and use
- The program must be in place and operational prior to
application for accreditation.

15. Criteria for Accreditation
1. The care and management of laboratory animals should be
directed by qualified persons.
2. All animal care personnel should be suitably qualified by
training and experience in the care of laboratory animals.
3. Physical facilities and the methods of care and use for
animals should permit their maintenance in a state of well-
being and comfort.
4. For programs outside the U.S., AAALAC may establish
standards based on prevailing directives and conventions of
the country in which the accreditable unit is located.

16. FRDP: animal core facility
Post-Accreditation Phase
Foreign
vendors
Local Core Facility
At Research
Institutes
Import
Distribution
Local units attached to the accredited Research Institute
Breeding/maintenance

17. THANK YOU