La Trobe Animal Research and Teaching Facility (LARTF)
focused on animal welfare in research and teaching
Providing housing, husbandry, technical resources and expertise supporting the ethical use of a diverse range of animals involved in research and teaching.
Our capabilities
- Licenced facilities for animal housing, specialised care and husbandry for a range of species, including rodent, fish, avian, reptile and native animals.
- Agistment, husbandry and expertise in colony management for rats, mice and zebrafish, including genetically modified strains.
- Best practice in animal welfare and husbandry.
- Specialised facilities including Physical containment (PC2) animal facilities to support variety of animal research and Specified Pathogen Free rodent breeding facility.
- Individually Ventilated Caging system and conventional housing for rodents.
- Dedicated PC2 Aquatic facility with advanced zebrafish housing systems and embryo-injection facility.
- Behavioural neuroscience suites with state-of-the-art behaviour testing equipment for mice and rats.
- Flexible animal holding and procedure spaces with reverse light cycle capability (rodent safe night lights in rodent areas).
- Fully equipped surgical facilities with isoflurane anaesthesia and instrument autoclave.
- Skilled technical support in animal procedures through veterinarians and animal technicians.
- Expertise in management and maintenance of genetically modified rodent and zebrafish breeding colonies.
- Animal health monitoring and health screening.
- Veterinary services including clinical support, diagnosis and surgical support.
- Expertise to support the requirements of the Animal Ethics Committee and Institutional Biosafety Committee, and compliance with regulatory requirements.
- Animal research project consultation.
- IVIS (In vivo imaging system).
- Radsource cell/animal irradiator
- Ultrasound imaging system
- Fluorescence microscopy
- Electrophysiology rig
- Microinjectors
- Daniovision
Training
LARTF offers training and competency assessment programs in animal handling and technical procedures for researchers, students and external partners. These programs are delivered by expert technicians and veterinarians on a range of animal procedures such as injections, necropsy, health monitoring and surgeries.
Our veterinarians also provide consultations, advise and refinement in specialised animal procedures.
Access
Our services are available to all our staff and students as well as external organisations and industry partners. Contact us to discuss your requirements and learn about how we can support your research.
Contact us
Discuss your project needs with us by emailing LARTF on call: (+61 3) 9479 2732.