Contact: Daniel J. Conklin, PhD, Director of Exposures and Toxicology Core

Inhalation Facility:  This barrier and card access only facility suite is located on the 7th floor of MDR building and contains: an AAALAC-certified animal room; a procedure room with a biosafety cabinet, fume hood, microbalance, and dedicated bench space; and an exposure laboratory equipped with both volatile exposure system (Kin-Tek; LaMarque, TX, e.g., aldehydes) and a Versatile Aerosol Concentration Enrichment System (VACES) with capacity to simultaneously expose 64 mice to both ambient concentrated particulate matter (CAPs; PM2.5) andr HEPA-filtered air. In an adjacent room, we perform tobacco aerosol (smoke) exposures using a complete 4-chamber inExpose system (SCIREQ; Montreal, CAN)—a robotic cigarette/electronic cigarette system capable of performing multi-dose level exposures using programmable mixing of mainstream and sidestream smoke. All exposures are monitored real-time using a variety of state-of-the-art detectors including RAE Systems detectors (PID and EC; ppbRAE Plus; MultiRAE); DataRAM4 (CAP); MicroDustPro (Casella); OMNI-Trak (PM2.5 sensor and VOC detectors; Bluetooth; TSI); and, filter collections (miniMOUDI) for gravimetric and chemical analyses. The Facility has the capacity for nighttime exposures (e.g., redlight conditions) for circadian-focused experiments.

Telemetry: We have 2 complete portable telemetry systems (up to 16 simultaneous recordings per system; DSI/Harvard Biosciences). We can record a number of physiological variables in mice or rats including: heart rate, ECG, blood pressure, pulmonary function, activity, body temperature, and EEG/EMG. We can perform implants of transmitters and recordings in conjunction with inhalation exposures (see above). Our recent acquisition was a telemetry system (SoHo; DSI) that operates on a Bluetooth platform (e.g., no need for separate receivers) yet currently is limited to body activity, body temperature, and electropotential (e.g., ECG).

Kent Scientific CODA 6 Non-invasive Blood Pressure System:  A computerized system that automatically performs rapid measurements of six physiological parameters in mice: systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean blood pressure, heart rate, tail blood flow, and tail blood volume, on up to six test subjects simultaneously.

Urine and Fecal Matter Collection System: We have 2 complete portable systems (8 chambers/system) for collection of excreta (urine/feces) after interventions (e.g., injections) and/or exposures. Suitable for rats and mice, these systems come with capacity to collect urine in chilled graduated cylinders.

Portable GE Medical Systems Lunar PIXImus Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometer (DEXA) Scan:  The Lunar PIXImus Densitometer (GE Medical Systems) provides bone mineral and body composition (lean and fat body mass) composition results from total body imaging in less than 5 minutes.