Center for Comparative Medicine and Surgery

The Center for Comparative Medicine and Surgery (CCMS) is a centralized, shared resource supporting animal research via veterinary, husbandry care, and research collaboration with the faculty at MSSM. The program is fully accredited by the Association for Assessment & Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care, International (AAALAC). The center also provides assistance with research protocol design, clinical and anatomic pathology, and training of research personnel in the care and use of laboratory animals.

There are two primary sites of operation, with the central administration in the Annenberg Building, 26th Floor. The other major housing area is the IMI, SC Level. The remaining facility of the animal resource is the Atran basement.

Annenberg Building

All large animal species (rodent and nonrodent species) are housed in this building. Administrative offices, large animal surgical support (1 operating room and 2 cath labs), and veterinary diagnostic laboratory are located here.

Icahn Building

This state-of-the-art rodent transgenic barrier facility offers fully automated rodent housing (ventilated caging and automatic watering), necropsy suite, and BSL3 biohazard capability. Also located within this animal facility is the Mouse Genetics Shared Research Facility.

Atran Building

This small facility provides overflow support for the Annenberg and IMI, respectively. Animals housed in this area reflect the general health profiles of the major support area.

The faculty of the CCMS consist of five veterinarians: Director, DVM, DACLAM; Assistant Director, DVM, DACLAM, Head, Translational Veterinary Medicine, DVM, DACLAM, Head, Large Animal Medicine, DVM and Veterinary Pathologist, DVM. Supervisors are certified by the American Association of Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) and conduct ongoing in-house training of husbandry and research personnel toward certification as well.