GIST Laboratory Animal Resource Center (LARC) hosts opening ceremony

□ The Laboratory Animal Research Center (LARC) at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST • President Seung Hyeon Moon) held an opening ceremony on May 17, 2017, that introduced the facilities and provided tours to the participants.

∘ LARC (Director Jeong-Seok Nam, School of Life Sciences Professor) is a facility that meets the guidelines of the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC). LARC was established for the purposes of maintaining, breeding, and managing laboratory animals for life sciences research conducted at GIST.

∘ LARC complies with the basic principles of humane animal testing and is a specialized rodent research facility that adheres to international standards and guidelines in making the welfare of laboratory animals and the safety of researchers the highest priority.

□ The GIST Laboratory Animal Resource Center began construction in June 2014 with a total investment of 182.26 billion won and construction was completed in March 2017.

∘ The new facility is capable of accommodating about 30,000 rodents in an area of 4,881 square meters with 1 underground floor and 3 aboveground floors, with an individual ventilation cage system with environmental monitoring for the rodents.

∘ This system is able to provide customized technology support services for researchers, such as genetically modified mouse production services, mouse purification support services, histopathology and clinical pathology analysis services, and biomedical image analysis services through ethical and scientific management of experimental animals with the highest level of technical support and research-friendly infrastructure.

□ LARC Director Jeong-Seok Nam said, "Through the ethical and scientific management of laboratory animals combined with research-friendly technological support services, we will steadily produce the laboratory animal resources required for all life sciences research at GIST and lead the innovation of the domestic biotech industry."

▲ LARC Director Jeong-Seok Nam Director

□ For more information about the GIST Laboratory Animal Resource Center, please call 062-715-5591.