Animal Core Facility

Project Summary/Abstract (Animal Core Facility) Animal models play a vital role in the establishment and refinement of improved therapies for various cancers, including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Thus, when the NDSU Center for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Strategies in Pancreatic Cancer was established, a key component included was the Animal Research Core Facility. During Phase I of this project, the Animal Core has made significant contributions to the COBRE project's mission and the overall NDSU research community. A breeding colony of nod-SCID- gamma (NSG™) mice was founded and used in multiple grafting studies, including subcutaneous, orthotopic, and patient-derived xenograft implantations. The Core also established a colony of genetically engineered LSL-KrasG12D/+; LSL-Trp53R172H/+; Pdx-1-Cre (KPC) mice to complement these NSG™ studies. These achievements allowed the Animal Core to complete our original goals of enhancing basic and translational studies devoted to detecting and treating pancreatic cancer and strengthening biomedical research at NDSU. For Phase II, the Animal Core aims are 1) to support the scientific and animal needs of individual Junior Investigators, Pilot Project Investigators, new and existing faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students associated with the CDTSPC; and 2) to increase the sustainability of the Animal Core Research platform. These aims will be achieved by establishing new colonies of genetically engineered models (including KC- smad4 and KC-Tgfbr2 strains), establishing a tissue biobank for archival maintenance of PDAC and other cancer samples, and expanding services to include on-site histology analysis and advanced imaging modalities.