Matsumoto's Lab, Faculty of Life Sciences

The Summary of the Guideline for Care and Use of Lab Animals in the University of Tokushima

The guidline was substantially revised in April 2005, and there have been many changes, so that summary of the guideline is described here for researchers and students in this University.

Until March 2005, regulation of lab animals were controlled by each committee of each Faculty, however, such system raised a question as to whether lab animal regulation was fulfilled with same quality among Faculties in the University of Tokushima. So, we decided to need a rule for lab animal regulation common to the entire University. In order to carry out experimentations of lab animals under unified system, it was decided to reinforce the Animal Care and Use Committee to be able to regulate all of the lab animals in the University of Tokushima.

1. Registration of animal rooms
　If you want to use rooms to maintain animals, the room must be registered as animal breeding room. Namely a permission of the rooms is necessary from Animal Care and Use Committee.
　Floor should be resistant to the action of urine and other biological materials and to the adverse effect of cleaning agents.
　Walls should be smooth, moisture-resistant, nonabsorbent, and resistant to damage from impact. Surface materials should be capable of withstanding cleaning with detergents and disinfectants.
　To maintain appropriate temperature and moisture, air conditioning system is necessary.

2. The animal rooms should be clean anytime.
　Before entering the animal room, don a lab coat specific for SPF animal rooms at the exchnaging room.
　 You need to exchange cages which were becoming bit dirty by urine and feces of animals for new ones, at least once or twice a week.
　Breeding of excess number of animals in a cage is prohibited. Breeding of max 3 rats or max 5 mice in a cage is recommended under usual condition.
　Clean up the room after finishing your work.

3．Each work plan will be reviewed by the Committee members once a month (it is held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month). 　

4. You are allowed to use only SPF mice and rats.