Vivarium

• Overview of Services

The Vivarium team is composed of animal care technicians with specialty training and certifications specific to laboratory animal medicine and care. Vivarium employees are committed to the humane care and use of animals through

• quality veterinary oversight, husbandry, social housing and environmental enrichment;

• facilitating research through collaboration, consultation, training, and provision of professional technical services;

• reducing experimental variables due to stress and disease;

• maintaining compliance with applicable federal and state regulations and;

• upholding VARI's  academic and research missions.

Vivarium Services

• Mouse holding
• Rat holding
• Zebrafish holding - small
• Zebrafish holding - large
• Tech time
• Supplying standard mouse stains for research, such as: C57BL/6J, C57BL/6N, FVB, 129/Sv, Mt/Mg, B6-CMV-Cre and NSG mice
• Shipping Crate Charges per exportation crate for shipping rodents

Specialized equipment available for scheduling

• Echo MRI - in the barrier
• Behavioral mouse rooms
• Scheduling in these rooms also requires scheduling a specific shared equipment item
• Behavioral rat rooms
• Scheduling in these rooms also requires scheduling a specific shared equipment item
• Behavioral Suite Shared Equipment/Mazes
• In-vivo imaging and irradiation
• Bench spaces and safety hood
• Perfusion/Necropsy
• Stereotaxis Surgery

The Vivarium is managed and operated in compliance with the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animal.  VARI is accredited by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care, International (AAALAC).  All Vivarium policies and procedures adhere to the recommendations of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. 

Animal care oversight is conducted by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).  Faculty and staff are required to obtain IACUC approval for conducting any animal activities by submitting an Animal Use Protocol (AUP) through the tick@lab application. 

Faculty and staff are encouraged to contact appropriate Vivarium staff during the planning of projects that will involve the use of animals and during the course of their projects to obtain services and information.

Leadership

Scott Bechaz

Vivarium Director

Van Andel Institute

333 Bostwick Ave. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Office: 616-234-5260| Cell 419-205-0094

Email: Scott.Bechaz@vai.org | Web: vai.org

Location and hours of operation

Links and Resources

Vivarium SharePoint Site

Standard Operating Procedures

Vivarium Orientation and Training

Contacts