Director: Lili Liu, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Medicine-Hematology/Oncology
lxl32@case.edu

Co-Director: Daniel J. Lindner, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Cancer Biology
lindned@ccf.org

Remember to acknowledge the valuable services provided by Cancer Center Core Facilities in your research papers and publications:
"This research was supported by the Athymic Animal and Xenograft Core Facility of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center (P30 CA43703)."

Services

The Athymic Animal and Xenograft Core Facility provides facilities for breeding and housing of athymic nude mice (NCRnu/nu) and rats, and other immunodeficient mice. The core provides pathogen-free facilities for experimentation using immunodeficient animal hosts and normal human cells and human tumor cell xenografts. Core staff maintain and monitor animals housed in the facility, and provide users with a variety of services, including transportation, health reports, animal handling, and experimental procedures. The staff will also train users in animal handling and experimental procedures. Entry to the animal facilities is controlled by key card access and is limited to employees who are listed on an IACUC-approved protocol, have enrolled in an animal contact Occupational Health program, and have completed access training. Experimental procedures, listed below, are provided either at the Case facility or in the Animal Tumor Core (ATC) at the Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute.

The Taussig Cancer Institute ATC was established in 2002 to help principal investigators at the Cleveland Clinic and CWRU perform tumor experiments, angiogenesis studies, and pharmacokinetic studies in mice. The ATC conducts syngeneic murine tumor experiments, and human xenograft (athymic nude mouse) tumor experiments. In addition, the ATC has developed several orthotopic human carcinoma models: HT-29 colon, HCT-116 colon, SW480 colon (all metastasize to liver), ACHN renal, A549 lung, multiple prostate, bladder, melanoma and ovarian tumors. ATC services utilize murine models to facilitate in vivo cancer drug screening, drug evaluation, and drug development. The core's goal is to help in evaluation of new pharmacologic agents by providing data on tumor growth, metastasis, angiogenesis, and gene expression. The facility also provides consultation services to assist the investigator in all aspects of animal tumor model development.

Resources

• Laminar flow work station.
• Laboratory work room containing two laminar flow hoods and a type B, 100% exhaust biohazard hood to accommodate preparation of cancer cells, anticancer agents, and other pharmaceutical agents.
• Full complement of stainless steel surgical instruments.
• Pass-through autoclave connecting the three animal rooms.
• Steris "super-autoclave" installed adjacent to the facility as a backup.

AAF Manual

Please click here to see the Athymic Animal Facility (AAF) Manual (PDF)

Fees

Athymic mouse (NCR nu/nu) breeding:

• $21 per male mouse
• $25 per female mouse

Athymic mouse (NOD/SCID) breeding:

• $55 per mouse

Animal housing, mice:

• $0.84/cage/day

Animal housing, rats:

• $1.20/cage/day

Experimental techniques training:

• $25.00/person/hour

Services Provided at CASE

• Tumor Cell Inoculation, Subcutaneous: $2.00 per mouse
• Drug Administration, IP: $1.00 per mouse per day
• Measurement of Tumor Volume: $10.00 per mouse (entire experiment, 2x per week)
• Measurement of Body Weight: $5.00 per mouse per study (entire experiment, 1x per week)

Services Provided at the Taussig Cancer Institute, CCF

• Blood Draw
  • Cardiac puncture: $8.55
  • Retro-orbital: $6.09
• Dermal Assay: $16.54
• Digital Photograph Image Service: $5.83
• Drug Administration
  • IM: $1.26
  • IP: $1.26
• Drug Administration
  • IV: $3.68
  • SQ: $1.26
  • PO: $1.26
  • Sterile: $4.88
• Measure of Tumor: $12.13
• Measure of Weight: $6.09
• Miscellaneous: $1.10
• Organ & Tissue Harvest
  • Formalin: $6.09
  • Nitrogen: $8.61
• Tech time: $24.36
• Total Body Radiation: $1.26
• Tumor cell inoculations
  • Orthotopic: $8.55
  • Xenograft: $1.26
• Tumor cell line expansions: $30.40
• Xenogen Imaging: $11.6
• Credit Record: $1.00

Contact for Further Information