organisation - the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência

ANIMAL
FACILITIES
Jocelyne Demengeot Head
PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Université AIX-MARSEILLE II, 1989
PI of Lymphocyte Physiology Group
Head of Animal Facilities since 2002
The Animal House Facility is organised into several areas, specifically prepared
for each model organism hosted at the IGC.
RODENT FACILITY
The facility consists of five independent units: a production facility, two experimental
areas, a quarantine and a germ-free facility, which is part of the European
Mouse Mutant Archive (EMMA) consortium. In 2011, the Facility hosted over
150 mouse strains, 2 rat strains and was used by 23 research groups.
FISH FACILITY
The facility has a quarantine and a production/experimental area. It includes a
behaviour room and a microinjection room. In 2011 it hosted 22 zebrafish lines
and provided services to seven research groups.
FLY FACILITY
The facility hosts thousands of mutant lines. It is composed of several walk-in
chambers, a food preparation room, two procedure labs and a quarantine area.
In 2011, nine research groups used this facility.
FACILITY STAFF
Manuel Rebelo, PhD (Manager)
Ana Mena, PhD (Animal Research Project Officer)
Joana Bom (Technician)
Ana Sofia Leocádio (Technician)
Maysa Franco (Technician)
Ana Maria Ramos (Technician)
Carlos Pires (Caretaker in charge of Production Unit)
Samira Varela (Caretaker in charge of E0 Unit)
Graça Ramalho (Caretaker in charge of E1 Unit)
João Lopes (Caretaker in charge of Quarantine Unit)
Eusébia Varela (Caretaker)
Cláudia Gafaniz (Caretaker)
Autelinda Costa (Caretaker)
Olinda Queirós (Caretaker)
Luís Arroja (Caretaker)
Jelskey Gomes (Caretaker)
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IN SCIENCE
Talk for students, IGC and Oeiras (January, June, October)
Speed-dating at OptimusAlive! Music Festival, Oeiras (July)
FROG FACILITY
The facility has an aquatic habitat system and a bench for experimental work. In
2011, the facility was used by one research group.
MAJOR PROJECTS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
The EU-FP7 Infrafrontier consortium aims at building a world-class research
infrastructure for mutant mouse analysis and archiving that provides the biomedical
research community with the tools needed to unravel the role of gene
function in human disease. The grant supported the improvement of our legal
status, for all issues related to vertebrate experimental models. It also allowed
the Facility manager to visit several state-of-the-art facilities, for technical and
managerial exchanges.
EU-FP7 European Mouse Mutant Archive (EMMA) is a not-for-profit repository
for the collection, archiving (via cryopreservation) and distribution of mutant
mouse strains used in basic biomedical research. The laboratory mouse is the
main mammalian model for genetic and multi-factorial human diseases. EMMA
plays a crucial role in exploiting the tremendous potential benefits of current
research in mammalian genetics to human health. This grant maintains a stateof-the-art
germ-free facility, used by European and IGC researchers.
EQUIPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE
RODENT FACILITY:
• 7 autoclaves;
• 15 IVCs (Isolated Ventilated Cages) rack system;
• 6 Germ-Free Isolators;
• 1 osmosis reverse system;
• 1 vapor-phase hydrogen peroxide decontamination system;
• 1 transfer and decontamination chamber;
• 1 animal transfer chamber.
Funding Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and EU-FP7 EMMA
IGC ANNUAL REPORT ‘11
FACILITIES AND SERVICES
85