Issue 13. 6 September 2010.pdf [PDF File, 1.7 MB] - UWA Staff - The ...

Behind
biomedical
research:
the two-legged and f
(from left) Geoff Billiewicz (operations coordinator), Malcolm Lawson (Manager Animal Care Services), Lauren Callahan (veterinary
officer), Marilyn Davies (quality control manager) and Simone Chapple (facilities manager): leading the Animal Care staff.
A cancer researcher has paid
$25,000 for a custom-bred mouse for
his work.
Another group is having guinea pigs
brought in from Germany because the
local ones have characteristics that
compromise specific research.
These are the specialist animal services
provided every day by UWA staff at the
Biomedical Research Facility at Shenton
Park.
They also care for and prepare for
research about 10,000 (non-specific)
mice, 2,000 rats, up to 1,000 guinea
pigs, a couple of hundred rabbits, up to
800 sheep at a time, wallabies, quokkas,
ducks, pheasants, emus, pigeons,
ferrets, pigs, goats and alpaca.
“There are millions of dollars tied up in
animal acquisition, breeding, housing,
quality control and care behind the
research at UWA,” said Animal Care
Services Manager, Mal Lawson. “But
very few people ever hear about us.”
Dr Lawson said remarkable progress
had been made over the past few years
in the care of animals but using them for
research was still an emotional issue for
many people. So it was understandable
that, despite excellent facilities and
systems, little was heard about that
aspect of research.
“For example, a recent issue of
UWAnews featured seven researchers
and their groups who use our facilities
and expertise,” he said.
The award-winning Biomedical Research
Facility was opened nearly four years
ago, and safety and wellbeing of both
staff and animals is constantly under
review.
“We provide the best animals for research
and the best conditions for those
animals,” Dr Lawson said. “For example,
our rabbit behavioural enrichment
program means we constantly have
rabbit playtime sessions going on. We are
trying different nesting and bedding
materials for our mice to try to recreate
real life conditions. And although our
animals can’t be free-ranging outside
(because we have to supervise them
closely), we are always evaluating and
developing new and different systems,
such as the best flooring for the comfort
and welfare of our sheep.
“We work with industry partners to come
up with the best designs for both the
animals and the staff.”
Other universities make use of the UWA
facilities, which helps to pay for the
maintenance of the animals. “An
enormous amount of money and effort
goes into this facility,” Dr Lawson said.
About 40 people work at the facility and
hundreds of researchers are in and out
every week.
8
UWA NEWS 6 September 2010
The University of Western Australia