University of Colorado Cancer Center Laboratory Animals Shared Core Service

The University of Colorado Laboratory Animal & Tumor Testing and Intervention Core offers services that facilitate critical cancer-related laboratory animal research. We aim to meet the specific scientific needs of UCCC investigators as they related to their objectives of basic and translational cancer biology research.

Services We Offer

We offer services to UCCC members at no cost or a reduced cost.

Animal maintenance, monoclonal and polyclonal antibody production, tumor testing and intervention experiments

• Complete tumor testing and therapeutic intervention services using allograftsand xenografts in genetically immunodeficient athymic nude mice and rats
• Comprehensive and continuous health screening on incoming animals and in-house experimental and breeding colonies to ensure that pathogenic agents are not introduced into the colonies
• Testing shared transplantable tissues (tumors, etc.) obtained from other institutions

Technical and surgical support services

• tissue and tumor transplants
• thymectomies
• bone marrow collections
• routine immunizations
• post-surgical care
• polyclonal, monoclonal and ascites production
• phlebotomies
• tattooing
• ear tagging and implanting transponding microchips animals for identification 
• processing of blood from rabbits, guinea pigs and mice
• gross and histopathological analyses on experimental members for the cost of tissue rabbits, guinea pigs and mice, by Core Director Dr. James Stevens

Education and training

We provide for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, residents, laboraty technicians, PRAs, and investigators using the core facilities. Training is also available for non-members from OLAR. Training includes:

• use of anesthetic agents
• surgical techniques
• animal handling and restraint
• animal-related equipment use
• animal tumor models including handling and manipulation of athymic nude rodents
• biosafety and containment operations
• guidelines for animal in vivo use of infectious agents, radioisotopes, carcinogens and toxic chemicals

Breeding colony management services and technical assistance

• breeding
• weaning
• animal identification
• tissue excision for genetic analysis
• breeding and pedigree database management

Consultation

Dr. Stevens is available to help UCCC research staff and investigators on structuring and writing animal research protocols, animal model selection, model development and genetics.