Animal Tumor Models Program

Services:

•  Design and create human cancer xenograft models in immunodeficient mice/rats for preclinical drug testing: (1) subcutaneous models; (2) systemic (leukemia) models; (3) orthotopic models (brain, lung, liver, kidney, breast, prostate, etc.)

•  Conduct oral gavage, intravenous, intra-arterial, intraperitoneal, subcutaneous, intramuscular drug administrations

•  Supporting tissue sampling for biological, PK/PD/pathological studies

•  Support teratoma formation assay

•  Support small animal fluorescent and bioluminescent imaging assay

•  Provide consultation on other in vivo-related and preclinical therapeutics issues

Pre-requirements, Supplies, Service Fees and Scheduling

•  Principal Investigators (PIs) are encouraged to meet with the ATM Program Director in person and provide written information to set goals/requirements for creating animal models, request of any change of the protocol, procedure, dose, regimen of the experiment.
•  Before ATM Program can initiate the action for establishment of animal models, PIs must obtain approval of their own experimental protocols from the Institute Animal Use and Care Committee (IACUC), the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), Occupational Safety and Biohazard Committee (OSBC), Institutional Review Board (IRB) and/or Radiation Safety Committee (RSC) for the specification of experimental goals, human cancer cells and tissues, type of animal models, animal species/strains/stock and numbers, drug, infection materials, radioactive materials, hazardous materials, etc.
•  PIs are responsible for the cost of animal procurement and transportation, high quality cancer cells/tissue samples for creating animal models, and reagents for the treatment in the animal models.
•  PIs are encouraged to have their own research staff work closely with ATM Program staff to follow-up daily drug administration, animal behavior observation and tumor measurement to ensure success in carrying out the experiments.
•  PIs agree to pay for the service charge generated through the ATM Program services.