Autoclave for DMU Shared Biomedical Research Facility

Abstract The animal research environment at Des Moines University includes a strong group of NIH funded investigators with excellent equipment and staff support housed in a modern animal care facility. A significant weakness of the current experimental capabilities is our 13-year-old autoclave that is connected to a standalone but integrated 50-yr old boiler (no longer in

production) and a water purification system. This integrated old equipment frequently breaks down and requires repairs, causing unanticipated expenditures and delays in conducting animal use research. Such breakdowns occur frequently because of the age and condition of the existing autoclave. Autoclaving is the most effective and reliable means of sterilizing laboratory

materials. Autoclaves are an indispensable well-established mainstream technology that is used ubiquitously in biomedical facilities to sterilize equipment/products before use in an experiment or to render items non-infectious before disposal. Despite its importance to NIH research, our current autoclave, while well maintained and heavily used, has lost pace with the current state-

of-the-art in sensitivity, reliability and timeliness for our animal and general biomedical research. We thereby request funds to purchase a new efficient integrated Steam Sterilizer (autoclave) - an integrated system that includes a microcomputer-controlled steam sterilizer, a steam boiler, a water saving system and a control system - to allow for reliable sterilization of animal and

biomedical related research tools/materials to support our Major and Minor users that have a need for this technology. A modern integrated autoclave will support us in ensuring efficient workflows as well as a safe and contamination free vivarium and research environment. An established sustained track record of heavy use over the last thirteen years, frequent

publications from the many NIH and externally funded biomedical researcher community and mentored student research and training on Des Moines University’s campus will ensure that the new integrated Steam Sterilizer will pay for itself in research productivity.