The Animal Facility has been designed for the husbandry, breeding and characterization of genetically modified mice. The working area is over two floors (~ 2.200 m2) permitting accommodation of a maximum of 70 000 mice.

The facility comprises :

• A quarantine section
• 13 holding rooms 60 m2
• 8 rooms of 15 m2 for animal experimentation
• 1 unit reserved exclusively for micro-injection

To maintain semi-protected sanitary standards, the facility is organised into 3 specific sections

• Access controlled entry-exit, ensuring a single direction circulation of personnel, mice and apparatus
• A housing area exclusively for the animals
• A cleaning zone divided in 2 ('clean' and 'dirty' materials) by a physical barrier comprising several components, autoclaves, tunnel and washing room, water treatment station.

The mice are housed in high-density vented caging systems MICE (Microenvironmental - Isolation - Containment - Enrichment):

• Microenvironmental ---> adequate and comfortable ventilation with good air quality and stable conditions ;
• Isolation ---> prevents environmental & biological contamination ;
• Containment ---> prevents release of allergens, odors, and infectious agents ;
• Enrichment ---> environment appropriate to the species.

In addition to these micro-isolating cages, animal experiments take place exclusively under horizontal, laminar flow hoods. This double protection assures :

• the necessary sanitary standards for the mice
• satisfactory working conditions for the operators

Washing tunnel

Autoventilated cages

I.C.S. : 1, rue Laurent Fries - BP 10142 - 67404 ILLKIRCH CEDEX
Director : Dr. Yann Hérault