Quality

The standardisation of mice, in terms of health, genetics and housing, is critical in reducing variability in research. ABR has a comprehensive quality control programme to ensure mice are of the highest standard.  

ABR is a NATA Accredited facility for the following products and services:

• Mouse models (sale strain mice)
• Colony management
• Import and export of mice and frozen embryos/sperm
• Rederivation
• Cryopreservation of sperm and embryos    
• Microinjection and electroporation for CRISPR genome editing
• Sample collection for microbiological testing
• Tissue collection for mouse genotyping
• Surgical modification of mice

To meet the high standards required by NATA, mice are monitored to ensure they are disease free and they have the genotypes required for research. They are housed in rooms with standardised temperature, humidity and light cycle. The housing and husbandry is optimised to promote health and well-being.

Individual records of all mice are maintained on the Stuart animal management software, facilitating the tracking of parentage and genotypes. Genetic drift in background strains is monitored using SNP panels and minimised by regularly refreshing key background strains from international repositories such as The Jackson Laboratory.

Mice at Australian BioResources are held in separate areas according to health status.  Please refer to Screening Results for further information on health status and the ABR exclusion list.

ABR barriers

Maximum barrier 

• Free of all pathogens on the ABR exclusions list. 
• The recommended barrier for housing of immunodeficient mice.
• Entry by rederivation, re-animation of frozen embryos/sperm, or generation by the CRISPR MEGA service at ABR.
• ABR sale strain mice & some client strains. 
• Biobubbles 1, 2, 6, 10, 11, Room 16, Room 19 

Standard barrier- Level 1

• P. pneumotropica negative client strains. 
• Entry permissible by clean health screen from the Jackson Maximum Barrier and ARC Production Area ONLY.
• Mice must be negative for P. pneumotropica on PCR.
• PCR testing is not performed for all opportunistic bacterial pathogens. It is possible that low-level infections of other opportunistic pathogens are present. 
• Biobubble 5, 7 

Standard barrier - Level 2

• P. pneumotropica positive client strains. 
• Entry permissible by clean health screen. P. pneumotropica and K. oxytoca monitored but not excluded. 
• PCR testing is not performed for all opportunistic bacterial pathogens, so it is possible that low level infections of other opportunistic pathogens are also present. 
• Biobubbles 3, 4, 8, 9