Director: Derek McLean
Contact Information:
Derek McLean - 509-335-8759 - dmclean@wsu.edu
Nada Cummings -509- 335-7308 - nscummings@wsu.edu
Outline of Services
The Animal Reproduction Core provides centralized facilities, services and expertise on handling and housing laboratory and domestic animals used by members of the Center for Reproductive Biology in accomplishing their research objectives. Services such as animal handling, cannulation, blood collection, tissue collection at either the university's abattoir or commercial packing plants will be aided by this core. The Core Director and a core technician associated with the Director's laboratory provide coordination. The facilities, equipment, and animals of this core are incorporated into the Department of Animal Sciences animal facilities to capitalize on the expertise and efficiency of this already established unit.
Specific services are as follows: (1) Obtaining animals to conduct research. A request for animals for research purposes will be given to the core technician who will either purchase these animals or utilize animals already available within the institution. A set per diem will be paid by the investigator. (2) Training will be provided for procedures to those individuals needing the knowledge to conduct their research. The core technician will also be available to aid in collecting data of this nature. (3) Collection of tissue from abattoirs. The core technician will aid in collection of tissues from commercial or university abattoir. (4) Collecting data from cooperator research animal facilities, ranches or dairies in the Pacific Northwest. The core technician will be responsible for aiding and contacting and collecting data at cooperator animal facilities ranches and dairies.
Administration
Dr. McLean is
responsible for Core administration with the assistance
of the Core Technician. Dr. McLean conducts monthly
meetings with Core personnel to discuss problems and
progress.
Costs
There is a $10.00 service fee that is charged to each
requesting individual whenever specimens are retrieved
whether they are a CRB member or not. Costs of actual
tissues vary depending on what abattoir is used. Some
places do not charge for items but some do and cost
ranges from $5.00 to $100. Service fee, travel, and per
diem expenses are charged even if the requested tissues
are items that were not available.
Facility/Equipment
The core provides coolers to transport materials and
bags or vials are included to aid in transport of the
items. The core provides safety equipment to be worn by
the lab technician when in facilities (lab coat, rubber
boots, hard hat, gloves, etc.) and knives when needed
to remove excess tissue. Additional or special
equipment needs to be provided by the requesting lab.
The Animal Reproduction Core has worked with seven
slaughter facilities in Washington and two in Idaho.
Collected animal materials are then stored in the
freezers in the Animal Sciences Department until
needed. This storage is available for short-term
periods only and investigators are asked to prepare
space for the materials as soon as possible.