Research Wish List

Research laboratories at the UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine have equipment needs that would enhance their ability to find new solutions to animal (and sometimes human) health problems.

Often, these needs can be covered through grant funds.  But sometimes a piece of equipment might benefit multiple laboratories, yet is too expensive for any one laboratory to include in its grant proposal budgets.

If you are inclined to make a difference by providing scientists with resources that could help them make the next break-through in animal (or human) health, here are some options for you to consider:

Laser Capture Microdissection ($120,000)
Understanding disease often requires knowledge of normal and pathological gene expression. This state-of-the-art system will allow us to make measurements of gene expression in single cells throughout the body. With this capacity, we will be able to advance our understanding of disease processes and possible cures for cancer, respiratory disease (e.g., asthma, emphysema and sleep apnea), and disorders of the nervous system (e.g., MS, ALS, spinal cord injury), muscle (e.g., muscular dystrophy, muscle wasting) and diseases of the reproductive system. The research programs of many investigators in the School of Veterinary Medicine will benefit from the availability of this instrument.

Research Gathering Space ($5,000 each (4))
Graduate Students, Postdoctoral Trainees and Research Scientists in the SVM have no convenient place to take a quick break from their lab work, chat about their experiments, or network. At each end of the third and fourth floors we could put a small table and some chairs, a sink, fridge and microwave, some cupboards, a magazine rack for the latest journals, etc. This would greatly enhance opportunities for cross-fostering of ideas and sharing of techniques.

Shared Clinical Research Laboratory ($100,000)
The SVM has a number of talented clinical faculty who need space to carry out clinical research projects, such as trials of new drugs and therapeutic procedures, and assessment of better diagnostic tests in veterinary patients. Clinical faculty do not have adequate space to process samples, perform bench assays, store data, and archive samples. The proposed Shared Clinical Research Laboratory would be equipped with basic lab equipment including a refrigerator, -80°C freezer, refrigerated centrifuge, fume hood, vortex, pipetters, etc.

Confocal Laser Microscope ($250,000)
Understanding disease requires knowledge of normal and pathological function in cells. This state-of-the-art microscope will allow us to visualize normal and diseased cells throughout the body. The three-color laser system brings clarity to images that is not possible with a standard microscope. The microscope also enables us to visualize proteins and receptors within cells, and determine whether they change during disease processes. With this capacity, we will be able to advance our understanding of respiratory diseases, diseases associated with inflammation, and disorders of the nervous system, the musculoskeletal system and the reproductive system. The research programs of many investigators in the School of Veterinary Medicine will benefit from the availability of this instrument.

Breathing Measurement System ($35,000)
Respiratory diseases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in both veterinary and human medicine.  To investigate these devastating diseases, it is necessary to make accurate measurements of breathing capacity.  A "whole body plethysmograph" allows such measurements in unstressed and unrestrained animals.  Here in the School of Veterinary Medicine we have one of the world’s leading groups studying respiratory insufficiency, and developing new means of treating these devastating disorders with few effective treatments and no known cures.  Such disorders include sleep apnea, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), apnea of prematurity and breathing impairment in neurological diseases such as ALS, spinal muscular atrophy, MS and spinal cord injury.  This device will replace an ageing system which is used by at least six laboratory groups within the School of Veterinary.  

Oxygen Exposure System ($80,000)
Our SVM group studying respiratory neurobiology is unparalleled in the world and is making discoveries that will alter the treatment of devastating disorders of the neuromuscular system. For example, based on basic science research, we recently made a highly novel and exciting discovery that repetitive exposure to low oxygen is highly effective in improving motor function (walking and breathing) in animals and humans with spinal cord injuries.  We wish to extend our basic science findings by continuing with pre-clinical trials in patients within the SVM clinic (dogs with spinal injury) to parallel similar efforts in human patients (a study we are doing in collaboration with the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago). To perform such trials in dogs with clinical spinal injury, a sophisticated system is necessary to explore the best exposure protocol. Such equipment is very difficult to secure via extramural funding, and independent fund raising is necessary to assure that these important and highly novel efforts in clinical/translational research continue.

Radiograph Processor ($15,000)
This processor would enable our anatomic pathologists to evaluate radiographs immediately, rather than waiting to have the film taken to the VMTH for processing.  Currently, a necropsy (post mortem examination) must be delayed while pathologists wait for the radiograph to be returned so they can evaluate whether the radiograph needs to be re-taken.  Having their own processor would provide better continuity of post mortem exams.