Animal Services

The Animal Services Core is structured to meet the evolving needs of our investigators for translational research resources. Central to the Core is the newly constructed Biological Eye Research Laboratory (BERL) that integrates dedicated rooms for animal surgery, experimental animal model development, and dark adaptation and electrophysiology studies.

Biologic Eye Research Laboratory

• Phoenix Micron IV is a retinal and cornea imaging microscope that provides fundus images, fluorescent and OCT of retinal and cornea layers, and is equipped with image analysis software.
• Zeiss AxioZoom V16 is a high performance fluorescence microscope for low magnification and large field imaging of the cornea in vivo
• Zeiss OPMI VISU 210 Operating microscope dedicated to performing surgical procedures in animals with an assortment of surgical tools, instruments, supplies, and animal handling devices
• Alcon Accurus Surgical System, a multifunctional surgical tool for anterior and posterior segment ophthalmic surgeries in animals
• Z-Sciences, LGC-5201 humidity-controlled chambers for developing animal models of ocular surface diseases
• Excimer laser system for generating controlled corneal injury in animals
• LKC Electrodiagnostic system for electroretinography equipped with full-field and mini-ganzfeld stimulators, a recording unit, and a light-tight Faraday cage
• Minolta LS-100 photometer and Photo Research PR650 spectrophotometer for LKC system calibration
• Standard ocular examination equipment including fundus camera and slit lamp biomicroscope
• Assortments of pumps, including, UltraMicroPump III system for intraocular injections, Syringe Pump for controlled and automated intravenous injections, and TP-500 Gaymar Heat Pump for maintaining animal’s body temperature
• Assortment of equipment, including, Germinator-500 for decontaminating metal micro dissecting instruments, TonoLab Tonometer for IOP measurements in rodents, Dune Compact balance for weighing animals and samples, and EZ-7000 Classic Anesthesia System for anesthetizing and euthanizing of rodents