Director: Daniel J. Lindner, MD, PhD Assistant Professor, Cancer Biology lindned@ccf.org

Services

The Athymic Animal & Xenograft Core consists of two physical sites, one at Case Western Reserve University and one at Cleveland Clinic at the Taussig Cancer Institute. The purpose of the core is to help principal investigators of CWRU and Cleveland Clinic perform tumor experiments, angiogenesis studies, and pharmacokinetic studies in mice. The Core routinely conducts animal experiments involving several syngeneic murine tumor models, and several human xenograft (athymic nude mouse, and NSG – NOD scid IL2Rg mouse) tumor models. In addition, the Core has developed several orthotopic tumor models: brain, lung, breast, renal, spleen, skin, ovarian, prostate, bladder, and pancreas. The Core is always willing to develop additional new models.

Core services utilize murine models to facilitate in vivo cancer drug screening, drug evaluation and drug development. Core services include drug administration (sub-cutaneous, intravenous, intraperitoneal, prolonged slow-release silastic capsule), blood drawing (repetitive - saphenous vein, or terminal – cardiac puncture) for pharmacokinetic pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) studies, absorption distribution metabolism excretion (ADME) studies, syngeneic and xenograft tumor models, orthotopic tumor models. The goal is to help in evaluation of new pharmacologic agents by providing data on tumor growth, metastasis, angiogenesis, and gene expression. The facility also provides consultation services to assist the investigator in all aspects of animal tumor model development.

Resources

• Laminar flow work station
• Laboratory work room containing two laminar flow hoods and a type B, 100% exhaust biohazard hood to accommodate preparation of cancer cells, anticancer agents, and other pharmaceutical agents
• Full complement of stainless steel surgical instruments
• Pass-through autoclave connecting the three animal rooms
• Steris "super-autoclave" installed adjacent to the facility as a backup

Athymic Animal Facility Manual

The Athymic Animal Facility Manual is being revised. Please check back for updates.

Fees

Athymic mouse (NCR nu/nu) breeding:

• $25 per male mouse
• $30 per female mouse

Athymic mouse (NOD/SCID) breeding:

• $55 per mouse

Animal housing, mice:

• $1.00/cage/day

Animal housing, rats:

• $1.30/cage/day

Experimental techniques training:

• $25.00/person/hour

Services Provided at CWRU

• All services performed at $30/hour
• Drug administration including intravenously (IV), intramuscularly (IM), intrapertonially (IP), and subcutaneously (SC)
• Blood draw including cardiac and retro-orbital
• Tumor cell injection including cardiac and tail vein
• Xenografts: including subcutaneous or orthotopic transplantation into a variety of organs. These include mammary fat pad, ovary, oviduct, kidney, pancreas, and brain
• Mouse weight and tumor caliper measurements
• Delivery and imaging of luciferase-labeled tumors
• Organ and tissue harvest
• Assistance in preparing IACUC protocols for individual laboratories

Services Provided at the Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic

• Blood Draw
  • Cardiac puncture: $8.55
  • Retro-orbital: $6.09
• Dermal Assay: $16.54
• Digital Photograph Image Service: $5.83
• Drug Administration
  • IM: $1.26
  • IP: $1.26
  • IV: $3.68
  • SQ: $1.26
  • PO: $1.26
  • Sterile: $4.88
• Measure of Tumo (MWF for duration of study): $12.13
• Measure of Weight (Wed for duration of study): $6.09
• Miscellaneous: $1.10
• Organ & Tissue Harvest
  • Formalin or OCT: $6.09
  • Nitrogen: $8.61
• Tech time: $24.36
• Total Body Radiation: $1.26
• Tumor cell inoculations
  • Orthotopic: $8.55
  • Xenograft or Synegraft: $2.00
• Tumor cell line expansions: $30.40
• Xenogen Imaging: $11.60
• Credit Record: $1.00

Acknowledgement

Remember to acknowledge the valuable services provided by Cancer Center Core Facilities in your research papers and publications:
"This research was supported by the Athymic Animal and Xenograft Core Facility of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center (P30 CA43703)."

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