Facilities                                                               

Physical Facilities                                                                                           go to page 2
Resources and Environment for Research in Williams - Bowie Hall

The University lost a major biomedical research facility in November 1991 when a fire destroyed the research facility at Moton Field. Since that time, TU has embarked on a major rebuilding program.
The growth and numerous accomplishments of TU's academic community have been sustained by the continued commitment of the University to house research activities in state-of-the art facilities. One such facility is the Williams-Bowie Hall, formerly known as the Food Animal Production and Service Center (FAPRSC). The first phase of the FAPRSC was built in 1991 to meet the needs of traditional department-based research. It houses faculty offices, the International Center for Tropical Anima Health (ICTAH), the Audiovisual/Auto-tutorial (AV/AT) Center, the Biomedical Information Management System (BIMS) offices, the Biomedical Computing Laboratory, and the Center for Computational Epidemiology (CCE).
The second phase construction completed in April 2000 with funds from the National Institute of Health/National Center for Research Resources (NIH/NCRR) 1.5 million and matching funds from TU 1.5 million. In phase two shelled space was converted into the following completed laboratories:

* 15 bio-safety level 2 (BL-2) research laboratories
* 4 bio-safety level1 laboratories, BL-2 and BL-1 support areas
* one tissue culture laboratory
* two cold rooms
* one class wash room
* one media preparation room
* two storage rooms
* one darkroom
* one teaching laboratory
* three diagnostic laboratories
* one clinical pathology/immunology/virology
* one diagnostic microbiology
* one histopathology laboratory
* one core instrumentation laboratory
* two autoclave rooms
* one radioisotope laboratory
* one semen analysis laboratory
* one surgery and recovery suit
* offices for faculty, visiting faculty and staff

The completion of phase two added 24,903 sq ft to the approximately 30,000-sq ft already utilized in the building. In the Fall of 1998, a study was conducted by a panel of outside consultants (R.O.W.) Sciences, 1700 Research Boulevard, Suite 400, Rockville, Maryland 20850-3142) to determine the feasibility of converting the remaining 11,000 sq ft in to a laboratory Animal Holding Facility for rodents, rabbits and other small laboratory animals. TU has been awarded a $ 2.0 million award to complete this facility. The construction documents have already been reviewed by the technical review staff at the NIH/NCRR and the reviewer's comments mail back on 8/11/2001. TU expects to go to bid for this project by the end of September.
Within TU's research infrastructure (CAENS) and (CVMNAH) have begun to assemble state-of-the art equipment to complement the research laboratories. This equipment includes:

* high end computer systems (IBM, and Macintosh platforms)
* atomic absorption spectrometer
* mercury analyzer microwave digestion system
* Millipore osmosis system
* LE-80 ultracentrifuge
* ESA chromatography system with Gilson auto injector
* Spectroflourometer
* Rat Turning Wheel Assembly
* Acoustical Stimulus/Responder
* Isolation Cabinet/Responder
* Video Tracking System
* Automated Morris Maze
* Rotor-rod System
* Flex Tissue Processor
* Automatic Tissue Stainer
* Rotary Microtome
* Vet Test 8008
* QBC Vet Autoreader
* VetLyte, ACE Schiapparelli Biosystem
* Cell-Dyn 3700, 7100 Aerospray slide stainer
* ABL 330 Acid-Base Laboratory
* Tissue Processor Histoembedder
* Isotemp Ovens
* Lrica Automatic Microtome Knife Sharpener
* Isotem Standard Incubator
* Model LE-80K
* Optima Ultracentrifuge
* Analytical Gradient with 32 Karat Liquid Chromatograph (HPLC) and Accessories, DU 7400

UV/VIS Diode Array Spectrophotometer

* Premier Ropure Infinity Water Purification System
* Tox Ivos Integrated Visual Optical System for Sperm Analysis
* Digital Imaging Analysis System with Optimus Software
* Thermal Cycler, Robocycler 96
* Gradient Hot Top Combo
* Thermal Cycler, Robocycler 40 Temperature Cycler Hot Top Assembly
* Cobra II Auto-Gamma Counting System with Riasmart RIA/QC software package
* LabCat In Life Data Acquisition System.

The Biology Department, housed in Armstrong Hall and Carver Research Foundation, shares facilities with the Chemistry Department. The Biology Department includes office space for six faculty, one staff, six teaching laboratories and two research laboratories. In the Carver Research Foundation, there are six faculty offices and four research laboratories.

Specialized facilities in Carver include:

Electron Microscope and Imaging facility with

* one transmission electron microscope (Phillips 201)
* one scanning electron microscope
* one digital camera-computer-imaging microscope set up.

Flow Cytometry facility with a state-of-the-art coulter flow cytometer and cell sorter.
The Biotechnology Center is located in Armstrong Hall and Carver Research Foundation. The center contains a variety of equipment for cloning, expression, detection, and analysis.
To further enhance and develop research capacity at TU, the President authorized the reorganization of the laboratory animal program into the University's new Comparative Medicine Resource Center (CMRC).

PHYSICAL FACILITIES

A. PHYSICAL PLANT
1. DESCRIPTION OF MAJOR BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES
The physical complex assigned to the School of Veterinary Medicine provides approximately 184,440 square feet to accommodate the programmatic activities of the School. The complex consists of nine major buildings located at the northeastern edge of the Tuskegee University campus. All buildings are wheelchair accessible and all buildings are within easy walking distance of one another. The buildings are: Rosenwald Center; F. D. Patterson Hall; Clinical/Anatomy Building; Post Mortem Building; Large Animal Care Center; Large Animal C-Ward; Large Animal H-Ward; Food Animal Production, Research and Service Building; and Dog Kennel Building. In addition to the above, an Animal Support System Modular Laboratory, a storage building, a hay barn and a fenced Small Animal Outside Exercise Area are located within the complex. A floor plan for each major building and a map of the complex will be made available for the site evaluation team upon their arrival at the University.
The core facilities for the basic science program consist of the Rosenwald Center, Patterson Hall and the anatomy wing of the Clinical/Anatomy Building. These buildings provide five basic science laboratories with a total of 323 student stations, as well as an auditorium, lecture hall, and conference rooms that collectively provide seating for approximately 400.
The facilities devoted primarily to clinical sciences and patient care include the large animal H-Ward, Large Animal Care Center, the large animal C-Ward and the clinical wing of the Clinical/Anatomy Building. These facilities provide healthcare and instructional wards for surgery and obstetrics. Space is also provided for the diagnostic and instructional support laboratories for the Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
The main research facility is the Food Animal Production, Research and Service Center. Additional facilities include a histology laboratory, plastination laboratory, toxicology laboratory, microbiology laboratory, reproductive biology laboratory, and a microscopy room, all located in the main complex of the School. Several on-campus biomedical research laboratories and support facilities outside of the veterinary medical complex are also available to School personnel. These research resources are located at the John A. Andrew Facility, the Carver Research Center, the Centralized Animal Holding Facility and the Caprine Research Facility. A more detailed description of the available research facilities is provided in the "Research Programs" section of this report.
The space allocation and usage, as it relates to the School's programmatic activities, are described on the following pages for each building in the Veterinary School Complex.
Click here for additional about the research physical facilities

1.1 Rosenwald Center
The Rosenwald Center provides 10,485 NSF for use as the primary multidisciplinary laboratory facility for the basic sciences. The east end of the building houses a laboratory with 68 student stations. The Department of Biomedical Sciences utilizes this space to provide laboratory instruction in veterinary physiology, pharmacology, toxicology, and in human physiology for nursing, allied health, and other undergraduate students. Adjacent to this laboratory is a smaller room which serves as a preparatory laboratory.
Located on the west end of the building is a laboratory with 64 student stations. The Department of Pathobiology utilizes this area to provide laboratory instruction in veterinary microbiology, virology, immunology, molecular biology, public health, epidemiology, and clinical microbiology and to provide microbiology laboratory instruction for nursing and allied health students. There are two smaller preparatory laboratories, a storage incubator, and an autoclave room adjacent to this laboratory.
The central portion of the building houses a large lecture room (50 student stations) which is utilized by the various departments for lectures, discussions, and peer tutorial sessions for core and elective courses as needed. Also located in this area of the building are the facilities for the School's Office of Admissions and Recruitment and two smaller laboratories (preparatory and diagnostic) that serve the microbiology laboratory programs.
1.2 Patterson Hall
Patterson Hall is a multi-functional facility that is the focal circulation hub and orientation core for the entire veterinary medical complex. This building consists of five levels and provides 38,848 NSF of space. The following units are located in this building:

• Administrative offices of the dean, associate dean for academic affairs, associate dean for administration, assistant dean for student affairs, the School counselor and coordinator of the Health Careers Opportunity Program, and the director of the Teaching/Learning Center;
• Offices for various faculty and support staff of the Departments of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology;
• A multi-purpose basic science laboratory with 90 student stations and 4 storage/preparation rooms used by the Departments of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology;
• The Digital Imaging Analysis Laboratory;
• The T. S. Williams Veterinary Medical Library;
• Graduate and ECVFG Student Office Cubicles (12);
• The Media Center, television studio and support staff offices;
• A 300-seat auditorium and lobby used for instructional purposes, meetings and continuing education programs;
• A student lounge/meeting area;
• An atrium/meeting area; and
• The Office of External Affairs

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