1068 
ANIMAL RESOURCES 
ease or unexpected species variations. Thus, 
lectures, seminars and courses in comparative 
medicine and pathology are desirable at the un- 
dergraduate and the graduate level. In addition, 
an animal support laboratory is ideally suited 
to sponsor graduate study or residency training 
in comparative pathology, laboratory animal 
medicine or the other specialized areas of com- 
parative medicine. 
Research conducted in these laboratories nat- 
urally follovi^s the areas in vv^hich the staff has 
interest and skill but there are some specific 
areas and approaches that are particularly ap- 
propriate to their background and expertise. 
One area for research is the study of laboratory 
animal disease directed toward elimination or 
control of spontaneous disease to provide a 
more uniform laboratory animal and less varia- 
tion in experimental results. The most signifi- 
cant area for potential contributions to medicine 
is the study of animal models for human disease. 
Careful diagnostic work with recording and 
retrieval of data often leads to the discovery 
of new models, but an even more productive 
approach is the experimental manipulation of 
animals to develop effective models. To be use- 
ful, a potential model must be defined in detail 
with physiologic and pathologic parameters 
evaluated, a form of research for which an 
animal laboratory is well-suited. As research 
becomes more sophisticated, the normal and 
limits of normal variation need to be defined 
precisely. Spontaneous disease and the effects 
of aging must be recognized and evaluated. In 
other words, a statistically normal animal must 
be defined in contrast to a teliological normal 
experimental animal. 
The service function is involved in the diag- 
nosis of animal disease, in quality control of 
animals and in defining the baselines of spon- 
taneous disease in a colony. Staff members are 
valuable consultants to other investigators or 
they can serve as important members of re- 
search teams. 
These three functions are so interrelated that 
it can be difficult to separate them. The diagnos- 
tic case material serves as training material for 
the students and as a source of potential animal 
models. Research contributes to improved diag- 
nosis, elimination of disease and training of 
students. The teaching increases the expertise 
of the staff and the students can have strong 
input into the diagnostic service. 
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO SUPPORT 
LABORATORY 
The animal support laboratories at the Uni- 
versity of Chicago are one example of a labora- 
tory which relates to the medical school in the 
way just described and by way of example il- 
lustrates the role such a laboratory can play 
in support of a medical school. The laboratory 
facilities are housed in the A. J. Carlson Animal 
Research Facility which occupies 75,000 square 
feet of floor space. The Carlson Animal Facility 
is a little over three years old and the support 
laboratory with its staff has only been in exist- 
ence since that time. The laboratory has out- 
lined a four-fold mission : (1) to serve as a diag- 
nostic center for diseases of laboratory animals 
in the A. J. Carlson Animal Research Facility 
and the numerous other animal facilities of the 
University of Chicago; (2) to serve similarly 
as a diagnostic consultant and referral center 
for biological and medical investigators in the 
Chicago area; (3) to conduct research to en- 
hance the art and science of laboratory animal 
and comparative medicine; and (4) to provide 
graduate or specialty training in comparative 
pathology or medicine. 
The basic laboratory is partially supported 
by PHS Animal Resource Grant no. FR-00409. 
Additional support comes from several other 
PHS research grants for specific research proj- 
ects and from university funds. The students 
are supported by various divisional training 
funds and individuals fellowships. 
Facilities and Equipment 
The laboratories consist of two necropsy 
rooms, a histology laboratory, a clinical labora- 
tory for hematology, urinalysis, parasitology 
and clinical chemistry, a microbiology labora- 
tory, three laboratories for comparative bio- 
chemistry and an electron microscopy suite. 
Additional supporting facilities include a surgi- 
cal suite and a radiographic facility. Various 
physical examination, treatment and quarantine 
