Central Animal House Facility

Vidyasagar University, is a teaching and research institution performing research activities on animals, has established a well maintained state-of-the art Central Animal House Facility (CAHF) in Charles Darwin House, registered under the Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA), Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt. of India having registration number: 2013/GO/Re/S/18/CPCSEA Dated: 01/05/2018). The centre is engaged to serve the requirements on animal experimentation of various investigators from different departments in this university.

Prudent use of animals in research plays a pivotal role in the development of basic research and animal lives.

To carry out the basic scientific research and orient the new generation with the animal studies by accurately following the guidelines of Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA), Government of India. Central Animal House Facility is an indisputable wing of university to perform uninterrupted research in basic and clinical fields covering amelioration of human disease and disability, drug development, drug designing, toxicity assessment, improvement of our understanding regarding complex biological systems of human and animal physiology.

Central Animal House Facility is two storied building. There are surgical room, rat room, mice room, washing room, sterilizing room having autoclave, Co2 gas cylinder, changing or dressing room, office, quarantine room, surgical room is well equipped with euthanasia chamber and other facilities for animal sacrifice, store room for keeping animal feed extra cages and other things and one lavatory. Air conditions and air curtain are also available for maintain temperature and freshness of the atmosphere in the house.

Each species of animals is housed in light and temperature, moisture maintained individual rooms to avoid disease transmission and inter-species conflicts. Animals are kept under controlled environmental conditions where temperature (22-26°C), relative humidity (50± 10 %), 12:12 hr light and dark cycle and uninterrupted power and water supply are maintained. Sterilization of cages, water bottles and disinfection of animal rooms are performed in regular basis. Moreover, periodical inspection takes place by IEAC experts and routine animal health check up by registered veterinary expert.

As per guideline of CPCSEA, Govt. of India, IAEC has been framed and its composition is mentioned below. Institutional Animals Ethics Committee advises the institution and teachers/researchers on facilities, practices and improvements in animal use and care.

1. Main nominee of CPCSEA- Dr. Sarbani Hazra, Prof. Dept. Veterinary Surgery & Radiology, West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Kolkata.
2. Link nominee of CPCSEA- Dr. Sunit Kumar Mukhopadhya, West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Kolkata.
3. Scientist from outside of the institute, CPCSEA nominated- Dr. Amit Pal, Scientist E, National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata.
4. Socially aware nominee, CPCSEA nominated- Dr. Prasenjit Mandal.
5. Chairman of the committee- Dean of Science, Vidyasagar University, Prof. Satyajit Saha.
6. Two in-house members cum biological scientist,
   • Chandradipa Ghosh, Vidyasagar University.
   • Bidhan Patra, Vidyasagar University.
7. Veterinary expert- Dr. Tapan Kumar Manna.
   • Secretary of Institutional Animal Ethics Committee- Prof. Debidas Ghosh Vidyasagar University.