Research Animal Management Branch
- Robin Kastenmayer, DVM, PhD, Acting Animal Program Director and Senior Veterinarian
- Rachael Labitt, DVM, MS, Rodent Veterinarian
- Terrance McMeans, Rodent Facilities Manager
- Mike Wisnieski, BS, Aquatic Facilities Manager
- Daniel T. Abebe, MS, Research Behavioral Technician
- Julie Jacobs, Animal Program Manager
- Maria Publico, BS, Animal Care and Use Committee Coordinator
- Christopher Rishell, BS, Senior Facilities Manager
The Research Animal Management Branch (RAMB) supports all animal use and research within the NICHD Division of Intramural Research (DIR).
In addition to providing animal research support and veterinary consultation to NICHD investigators, the RAMB represents the interests of the NICHD DIR on all aspects of animal research conducted within the Intramural Research Program (IRP).
The RAMB operates and manages the Building 6B Shared Animal Facility (SAF), Suite 6C127, of the Ambulatory Care Research Facility (ACRF) Animal Facility, the Building 6 Shared Zebrafish Facility (SZF), and the Building 49 Xenopus Facility. The DIR Animal Program and NICHD Animal Care Use Committee (ACUC) have oversight over these facilities with regard to animal use, as well as over NICHD animals in the Porter Neurosciences Research Center (PNRC) SAF, and in Central Animal Facilities (CAF). The RAMB Aquatics Program also provides aquatics animal care and husbandry to several institutes and centers (ICs) within their satellite facilities across the NIH. NICHD is considered a leader in the field of aquatics-research animal care and support at the NIH.
The Building 6B SAF houses over 11,000 cages of specific pathogen-free (SPF) rodents and provides lead institute support to the animal-research activities of three Institutes (NICHD, NEI, and NIAMS). In addition to traditional rodent research support, the program supports NICHD behavioral research studies with a dedicated technician. The NICHD ACRF Animal Facility supports the animal research activities of the NICHD with four animal rooms and two procedure rooms. The RAMB provides care and housing for rodent and aquatic species housed within this restricted-access, disease-free animal holding facility.
NICHD Aquatics are housed within the Building 6 SZF, the ACRF, and in Building 49. The Building 6 SZF supports NICHD and NHGRI with 15,000 two-liter tanks with a total capacity of over 330,000 zebrafish. The Xenopus satellite frog Facility in Building 49 provides primary animal care and research support to over 300 tanks of Xenopus used by NICHD DIR researchers.
As part of the NIH, RAMB staff participate in the formulation of policies and procedures that impact the care and use of laboratory animals throughout the country. RAMB leads the effort for triennial re-certification by AAALAC (American Association for Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care) International. RAMB staff and many animal-user investigators have been active contributors to the NIH Animal Research Advisory Committee (ARAC) and other trans-NIH committees.
NICHD RAMB website
https://www.animalcare.nichd.nih.gov
Additional Funding
- In addition to direct funding by the Intramural Research Programs of NICHD, the RAMB is also funded by facility users from other NIH Institutes and Centers.
Contact
For more information, email robin.kastenmayer@nih.gov or visit nichd.nih.gov/about/org/dir/osd/mt/ramb.
