Comparative Oncology Shared Resource (COSR)

The COSR offers CCSG investigators a full spectrum of care and use services for their preclinical models including barrier facilities with fully automated environmental controls for the housing of research models. Specialized husbandry with trained staff who perform all manipulations inside Biosafety cabinets for maintenance of a pathogen-free environment for models held in micro isolation (MI) housing systems. In addition to housing pre-clinical models in state-of-the-art facilities, COSR provides Specialized Surgical Services and procedural training, consultation in experimental design, irradiation services, in-house hematological testing, genotyping services, design and conduct of pre-clinical toxicological studies.

Our team is specially positioned to offer these services due to our areas of expertise:

• Two veterinarians board certified in Laboratory Animal Medicine.
• One veterinarian board certified in Veterinary Pathology.
• One MD microsurgical research specialist focused on establishing novel preclinical surgical models creating a bridge between basic science knowledge and clinical applications.
• 15 AALAS certified care staff providing specialized husbandry for immunodeficient preclinical models.
• Project management: Consultations, study design, monitoring, drug/radiation treatment, sample collection, processing and histology services.
• Training: Technical research procedures, principles of rodent surgery and specialized micro-surgical services.
• Colony management and genotyping services.
• SCID, NSG colonies and C57BL/6 and BALB/c aging colonies.
• Large pre-clinical models: Model of hepatitis-virus associated hepatocellular carcinoma and VX2 carcinoma model of head and neck cancer.

Technology & equipment

The COSR at Roswell Park serves as the hub for preclinical research studies by providing CCSG investigators with access to state-of-the-art resources and scientific expertise on the use of pre-clinical models for cancer research studies.

Our team utilizes:

• State-of-the-art facilities with 35 AHR rooms equipped with micro isolation racks with individually ventilated cage systems.
• Isolation cubicle room and warm cubicle room for hypothermia studies.
• IDEXX hematology and clinical chemistry analyzers for diagnostics in multiple species.
• Reverse osmosis, computer-controlled, self-flushing, water distribution system.
• An irradiation suite with Gamma and X-Ray Irradiators.
• 75 Bio Safety Cabinets Class II Type II for husbandry and procedures.
• Bio-bubble clean rooms for specialized procedures.
• Two fully equipped large pre-clinical model OR suites.
• State of the art necropsy suite with CO2 systems and downdraft dissection tables.
• Bulk autoclaves to process ~10,000 cages/week