Animal Facility - University of 暗网禁区鈥� UOW

The Animal Facility at the University of 暗网禁区 provides high-quality, ethically governed support for biomedical and translational research. Equipped with modern housing, procedure, and imaging capabilities, the facility enables researchers to conduct rigorous in vivo studies in a controlled and compliant environment.

Our experienced team works closely with academic and industry partners to ensure best practice in animal care, welfare, and experimental design, supporting impactful research outcomes across a range of disciplines.

Research with impact

Animal research conducted at UOW has led to the development of new medications and treatments for human diseases, refinements to current drugs to minimise side effects for patients, and progression of new therapeutics to clinical trials.

Researchers utilising the Molecular Horizons Animal Facility come from a variety of backgrounds and are affiliated with the UOW School of Science, School of Medical, Indigenous and Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, School of Mathematics and Physics, Molecular Horizons, as well as external institutions.

Research themes

Our research themes include:

Molecular cell biology
Mental health and the ageing brain
Novel drug and therapeutic development
Investigating the behaviour of diseases such as various cancers, Graft Vs Host Disease (GVHD) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

Regulation

Animal research is heavily regulated in Australia and researchers can only utilise animals once it has been determined that there are no non-animal alternatives available. Our staff and researchers are committed to employing the most ethical and up-to-date practices that minimise any adverse health and welfare impacts to our animals. This includes:

reducing the amount of animals used in research
refining techniques to minimise harm,
conducting all procedures to a veterinary standard

We invite collaboration with UOW research teams, external institutions, and industry partners.

Researchers with current Animal Research Authorities can discuss their access and training requirements with the Senior Technical Officer – Animal Facility via animalresearch-training@uow.edu.au.

Governance

Animal research at UOW is governed by the institutional Animal Ethics Committee. All research is conducted in accordance with Animal Welfare Codes and Legislation. Further information, including our animal use statistics and Annual Report Summary can be found on the UOW Animal Ethics page.

Innovations

We have implemented a number of initiatives that allow us to better support animal welfare and facility operations. These include:

Development of an electronic Animal Records Management System for tracking and recording animal experiments and animal welfare.
Development of an online Clinical Scoresheet Generator to better observe animal health.
Development of an online booking and communication system to allow researchers to plan their experiments in consultation with Animal Facility staff.
Using non-animal training methods such as animal mannequins and artificial veins.
Rehoming ex-research animals at the conclusion of research wherever possible.
Participating in seminars within the Faculty in order to promote openness and transparency.
Participating in industry conferences and scholarships in order to enhance our knowledge about ethical animal research.

Equipment and resources

Our Animal Facility houses rats and mice in state of the art enclosures that allow animals to live in groups and perform their natural behaviours. Each rodent cage is individually ventilated to provide fresh, filtered air to each animal. Cages are furnished with bedding, nesting material, shelters, chew blocksnand occasionally wheels, swings, and shelves for added complexity and stimulation. All rat cages also contain a second storey to allow jumping and climbing.

Animals are cared for by our team of dedicated staff who hold tertiary qualifications in animal science and animal technology. Our team is supported by our on-site Veterinarian. Animal Facility staff are responsible for monitoring animal health and wellbeing, cleaning animal enclosures, sterilising equipment, ordering consumables, training researchers in animal techniques, and conducting procedures on behalf of researchers.

Procedure space
Behaviour testing suite
Small animal imaging
Surgical equipment
Research equipment
Staff assistance
Resources

The Animal Facility has five procedure rooms, including:

two with Class II Biosafety Cabinets
one with a cytotoxic drug safety cabinet
one extra-large surgical room with dedicated recovery space
and one animal imaging room

All procedure rooms are equipped with reticulated oxygen and CO2 gas and animal weighing scales.

Researcher in the procedure room lab

The Animal Facility has five dedicated behaviour testing rooms, all of which are equipped with a flexible camera railing system to enable filming of various behavioural tests.

One room has access to hot and cold water, and two rooms are equipped with desktop computers and behaviour analysis software.

The behavioural testing suite is located at the far end of the animal facility, away from any noise generating areas so as to minimise disruption to behavioural testing.

Behaviour room laboratory

The Animal Facility houses a for live imaging of small animals, cell plates, or other approved biological samples.

The IVIS Spectrum CT offers 2D and 3D imaging capabilities as well as integrated low-dose micro CT for longitudinal studies. This enables simultaneous molecular and anatomical non-invasive imaging of small live animals up to approximately 250g.

Usage charges are applicable.

Researcher in lab using the Animal Cat Scan device

The Animal Facility is equipped with:

two small animal anaesthetic machines
induction chambers
face masks
recovery chambers
and heat mats.

We also have a heated face mask with rectal temperature probe for controlled heating to prevent hypothermia.

Researcher using equipment in the surgery procedure room

The Animal Facility has a number of shared pieces of small research equipment available for booking. This includes:

micro centrifuges
heated water baths
animal warming cabinet
compound microscope
animal weighing scales
surgical equipment
and thermometers.

We also have a limited amount of consumables available for purchase including:

needles and syringes
swabs
anaesthetics
and animal medications.

Animal facility staff are highly experienced in common laboratory animal techniques and can assist you with any animal handling, sample collection, injections, and surgeries. Utilising this service benefits animal welfare and sample integrity. Charges may apply.

(Permission required)

Case studies

Increasing exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF)

Deng and Rodney Case Study

Increasing exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) has been the focus of public health concerns due to the rising daily use of technologies such as mobile phones. A mechanism of RF-EMF interaction with the human body is through heating. Current safety guidelines regarding RF-EMF exposures are based on the assumption that exposure to a RF-EMF at a whole-body average specific absorption rate (WBA-SAR) of 4 W/kg results in a 1 °C increase in core body temperature. Currently, there is insufficient knowledge to determine whether exposure to RF-EMF can result in other biological effects on the human body and thus requires investigation.

Recently, Deng and Rodney established a Bioelectromagnetics Laboratory in the Animal Facility at UOW. Our research starts with using improved methodology to accurately measure the thermal response of Sprague Dawley rats and C57BL/6 mice to RF-EMF. These studies have provided robust evidence showing that RF-EMF exposure at a high WBA-SAR (4-5 W/kg) increases core body temperature by 0.4-0.6 0C, which is less change than previously reported in these animals.

There have been concerns that RF-EMF exposure can negatively influence neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer’s disease. On the other hand, there are studies suggesting RF-EMF exposure may alleviate the symptoms of such diseases. Using a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease, we are currently investigating whether chronic exposure to RF-EMF at 5 W/kg WBA-SAR can influence the neuropathological hallmarks and cognitive symptoms of the disease.

Due to the increasing use of mobile phone in juveniles there is increasing concern that this population is more vulnerable to RF-EMF. While some studies have reported behavioral alterations following mobile phone use, we still do not have enough information regarding whether this is from the RF-EMF or other factors. Using a juvenile rat model, we are experimenting to see whether RF-EMF exposure at different WBA-SARs and exposure times during the childhood period can affect behavior and neurotransmission.

Research findings

CHARACTERISING CORE BODY TEMPERATURE RESPONSE OF FREE-MOVING C57BL/6 MICE TO 1950 MHz WHOLE-BODY RADIOFREQUENCY-ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS Emma Sylvester, Chao Deng, Robert McIntosh, Steve Iskra, John Frankland, Raymond McKenzie, Rodney J. Croft

CHARACTERISATION OF THE CORE TEMPERAURE RESPONSE OF FREE-MOVING RATS TO 1.95 GHZ ELECTROMAGETIC FIELDS Nathan Bala, Rodney J Croft, Robert L McIntosh, Steve Iskra, John V Frankland, Raymond J McKenzie, Chao Deng
Brain cancer

Tehei Case Study

rain cancer poses an exceptional clinical challenge because of poor prognosis and side effects of treatment. It affects all age groups, including children, with many adults being in their most productive years. Many brain cancer survivors suffer from cognitive and somatic side effects of the treatment, with increased risks in children when cancer occurs before intellectual and physical development is completed. Glioblastoma is the most common and highly aggressive brain malignancy among all brain cancers. It requires potent treatments, including high-dose radiation therapy due to significant radio resistance. This highlights the need for new technologies and treatments for this disease. Producing more effective and synergistic chemo-radiation treatments that will improve survival and reduce morbidity would thus be clinically extremely valuable.

The effectiveness of novel nanoparticles and chemotherapy drugs was first assessed in vitro. After optimization of the in vitro parameters, the preclinical studies were developed in the Animal Facility at UOW.

Fisher rats were Computed Tomography scanned at the Monash Biomedical Imaging with iodine contrast to locate the brain tumor. The irradiation was performed using Synchrotron Microbeam Radiation therapy (MRT) at the ANSTO Australian Synchrotron. The radiation dose was delivered to nanoparticles localized in the brain tumor. Rats' long-term survival, investigated at the UOW Animal Facility, was the radiobiological endpoint.

Embracing change is needed, to impact brain cancer patient care. Our novel targeted nano-therapy using high dose rate Synchrotron Microbeam Radiation therapy and nanoparticles shows promise, increasing lethal damage specifically in tumor while sparing critical surrounding structures and reducing problematic unwanted side-effects.

Research findings

Elette Engels, Jason R. Paino, Sarah E. Vogel, Michael Valceski, Abass Khochaiche, Nan Li, Jeremy A. Davis, Alice O’Keefe, Andrew Dipuglia, Matthew Cameron, Micah Barnes, Andrew W. Stevenson, Anatoly Rosenfeld, Michael Lerch, Stéphanie Corde & Moeava Tehei

Elette Engels, Nan Li, Jeremy Davis, Jason Paino, Matthew Cameron, Andrew Dipuglia, Sarah Vogel, Michael Valceski, Abass Khochaiche, Alice O’Keefe, Micah Barnes, Ashley Cullen, Andrew Stevenson, Susanna Guatelli, Anatoly Rosenfeld, Michael Lerch, Stéphanie Corde & Moeava Tehei

Abass Khochaiche, Matt Westlake, Alice O'Keefe, Elette Engels, Sarah Vogel, Michael Valcesi, N Li, KirrilyC. Rule, Josip Horvat, Konstantin Konstantinov, Anatoly Rosenfeld, Michael Lerch, Stéphanie Corde & Moeava Tehei
Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)

Watson and Sluyter case study

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is an inflammatory disorder and major complication following donor stem cell transplantation in people with blood cancers and other blood disorders such as bone marrow failure. Use of donor stem cell transplantation is a curative therapy for blood cancers, as the donor immune cells can mediate a graft-versus-leukaemia (GVL) effect to combat any residual cancer in the patient. However, these donor immune cells (graft) can also mount an immune response attacking other tissues (liver, gut, skin and lung) in the recipient (host) leading to graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).

GVHD occurs up to 50% of patients following a donor stem cell transplant and can be fatal in up to 30%. Current therapies use broad range immunosuppression, leading to increased risk of cancer relapse and infection, therefore better therapies are required to treat GVHD.

We use preclinical mouse models that mimic the GVHD and GVL responses and allow us to test therapies to assess disease outcomes. These models are termed humanised mouse models, in which immunodeficient mice (no immune system) are engrafted with human immune cells and/or human leukaemia cells.

These preclinical humanised mouse models of GVHD and GVL developed in the Animal Facility at UOW allow us to examine the role of different human immune subsets, their engraftment and their role in tissue damage and anti-leukaemia immune responses. Furthermore, this allows us to test therapies to examine how to improve GVHD outcomes, while retaining the GVL effect.

These preclinical models allow us to further understand GVHD and potentially translate findings to improve the quality of life and outcomes for people with blood cancer and other blood disorders.

Research findings

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Sam Raj Adhikary, Peter Cuthbertson, Leigh Nicholson, Katrina M. Bird, Min Hu, Philip J O’Connell, Ronald Sluyter, Stephen I Alexander* and Debbie Watson* (*CO-SENIOR AUTHORS).

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Peter Cuthbertson, Nicholas J Geraghty, Sam R Adhikary, Sienna Casolin, Debbie Watson* and Ronald Sluyter* (*CO-SENIOR AUTHORS)

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Nicholas Geraghty, Lisa Belfiore, Diane Ly, Sam Adhikary, Stephen Fuller, Winnie Varikatt, Martina Sanderson-Smith, Vanessa Sluyter, Stephen Alexander, Ronald Sluyter* and Debbie Watson* (*CO-SENIOR AUTHORS).
Motor neurone disease (MND)

Yerbury Case Study

Motor neurone disease (MND) results in the selective death of upper and lower motor neurons in the motor cortex and spinal cord. MND patients develop progressive muscle weakness that eventually leads to death within 3-5 years following diagnosis and there are currently no effective treatments.

Mutations in the SOD1 gene are the second leading known cause of MND. These mutations subsequently lead to unstabilised formation of the SOD1 protein increasing the likelihood of it misfolding. SOD1 mouse models develop a progressive motor neuron disease that is highly similar to the human disease and provide a valuable insight into the basic biology of MND. Due to their ability to recapitulate the disease pathology of MND, SOD1 mouse models are commonly utilised to assess the preclinical efficacy of therapeutics in order for the safe transition into human clinical trials.

Ultimately, our current research at the UOW animal facility aims to guide the future design and testing of drugs that target SOD1 stabilisation to create effective treatment options for people diagnosed with MND.

Research findings

Contact us

We invite collaboration with UOW research teams, external institutions, and industry partners.

animalresearch-training@uow.edu.au