CENTER FOR EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS

The Center for Experimental Animals was established in 1980 for communal use by both the National Institute for Physiological Sciences and the National Institute for Basic Biology. The facility consists of the terrestrial animal section and the aquatic animal section, where about 30 species including rat, mouse, rabbit tortoise, frog, echini, asteroids are kept and supplied for experimentation.

For the highly reproducible experiments, it is important to use well-characterized and quality-proofed animals. For this purpose, it is necessary to provide air condition, care for animal health, and prevention of infectious diseases. Surgical rooms and experimental rooms are provided in the terrestrial animal section. In addition, an annex (1,074 m²) composed of special rooms for experimentation with transgenic animals was built in 1994.

In 2000, the structure of Okazaki National Research Institutes changed following establishment of Center of Integrative Bioscience. Currently, the Center for Experimental Animals is situated under Research Facilities of our institute complex. In 2002, another SPF animal facility building was built in the new campus in Area E.

In recent years, the number of mutants or gene-modified animals was remarkably increased, which raised technical problems to maintain or preserve these special animal strains. Staffs are now improving the method of freezing fertilized eggs or early stage embryos.

In 2007, novel animal experimentation was started on the basis of the guidelines of animal care and experiments of the NINS. In 2008, the aquatic facilities have been entirely repaied and SPF facilities have also opened in the area "Myodaiji".

Research subjects in the Center for Experimental Animals: Dermatology and plastic surgery in laboratory animals, and clinicopathology in companion animals.

1. The development of animal models in dermatology and plastic surgery.
   We investigate melanocytes in the epidermis and/or dermis of hairless animals and Japanese monkeys. In addition, we study wound healing in the skin of these laboratory animals.
2. Establishment of the tumor cell bank in companion animals.
3. Clinocopathological study on obesity in companion animals.
4. The study on pregnancy toxemia in guinea pigs.
5. Development of new technology on the care and management of laboratory animals.

Director

Professor: NAMBU, Atsushi, MD, PhD

Staff

Associate Professor (concurrent NIPS): KIMURA, Tohru, DVM, PhD 1983 Graduated from Tokyo University of Technology and Agriculture, Faculty of Agriculture. 1985 Completed the master course in Agriculture, Tokyo University of Technology and Agriculture. 1986 Nihon Nosan Kogyo CO., LTD. 2002 Saitama Daiichi Pharmaceutical CO., LTD. 2005 Associate Professor, NIPS. Speciality: Laboratory Animal Science, Veterinary Dermatology, Plastic surgery