The UAB Gnotobiotic Mouse Core facility (GMC), provides gnotobiotic animal services to UAB investigators. These services include access to existing gnotobiotic mouse models, assistance in developing new gnotobiotic models, and transplantation of human and mouse archived microbiota.
GMC staff have extensive experience in derivation and maintenance of gnotobiotic mice. Since our establishment in 2002, we have derived 18 different genotypes of mice and have colonized and maintained mice with various limited microbiota and human intestinal microbiota. The facility employs two highly capable full-time gnotobiotic technicians and occupies over 1,700 sq. ft. on the 9th floor of the Zeigler Research Building.
The facility has dedicated high-vacuum autoclave; new heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system, high-efficiency LED lighting,; and emergency backup electrical service. Housing for gnotobiotic mice includes 10 Trexler-type plastic film isolators, 28 30" Park Bioservices semi-rigid isolators, and 16 Park Bioservices MiniQ™ semi-rigid isolators, for a total of 54 isolators for breeding and experiments. We also have two 70-cage Tecniplast Isocage™ positive pressure isolation cage systems, which are used for short-term experiments such as housing mice colonized with human microbiota.
Requests from UAB investigators will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, removing subject to requirement. If qualifying requests from investigators exceed core capacity, the core will provide assistance and technician training to enable investigators to maintain isolator-housed animals in their own animal facilities; however, the investigator will be responsible for arranging extra animal space to accommodate isolators. Requests from outside, non-UAB researchers will be considered if core capacity allows, but such projects will incur additional fees and all experiments performed in the core will be the responsibility of the investigator and lab staff.
Current available mouse strains: 10BiT.Foxp3gfp GF, 10BiT.Foxp3gfp ASF, B6 CD45.1 GF, B6 CD45.1 ASF, B6 Rag GF, B6 Rag ASF, Swiss Webster GF
GMC Services
- Hysterectomy (Cesarean) derivation.
- Monthly microbiological QC.
- Semi-annual microbiological QC.
- Comprehensive QC for newly derived mice.
- Establish defined flora in germfree mice.
- Provision of stock gnotobiotic mouse strains.
- Consultation with investigator and staff for potential GMC projects
Contact
Jeremy Foote, DVM, PhD, DACVP, Gnotobiotic Mouse Core Director
Emily Helman, MS, GMC Researcher V
Stacey Sinclair, GMC Specialist
BJ Parsons, GMC Specialist