IVC (Individually Ventilated Cage) Equipment & Biosafety Cabinet

The Agency is looking to purchase an Individually Ventilated Caging (IVC) system and a biosafety cabinet for their Biological Services Division (BSD).

The Agency continues to be involved with high quality work using animals that will lead to the understanding of diseases as well as the development of therapeutic agents and reference standards. This work includes models that are immunocompromised in their nature. A long term solution is required for BSD to accommodate these valuable strains in a suitably protected environment to maintain their health status.

The ideal solution would be an Individually Ventilated Caging (IVC) system with a biosafety cabinet. We are looking to obtain two racks of IVC caging with an air handling unit that will provide flexibility and scope for expansion as the work progresses. The biosafety cabinet would provide the flexibility needed for animal husbandry and regulated scientific procedures and afford protection to conspecifics from sight, sound and smell. This equipment would protect the animals from external contaminants and cross contamination, and improve protection to operators from animal allergens. This would, in turn, ensure accurate scientific results, prevent the need for repetition of experiments resulting from poor data or inadequate bio-exclusion and ultimately reduce the numbers of animals used.

This solution would therefore meet the requirements of the Animals (Scientific Procedures Act) 1986 and demonstrate The Agency’s commitment to the 3R’s (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) framework for humane animal research.

The purchase of this equipment would ensure The Agency is able to continue its role supporting world class research at NIBSC.