Facilities & Services
Animal Facilities & Research Aquarium Building

The mouse is an invaluable model organism for investigations into many of the fundamental processes and mechanisms of mammalian development and metabolism, including that of humans, and genetically modified mouse strains are widely used for analyzing gene functions and understanding disease mechanisms. The animal facility operated by the RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR) provides a wide range of support services from generating genetically engineered mice to the specifications requested by researchers both within and outside BDR, to developing new reproductive technologies and highly versatile reporter mouse lines for research. Recently, they have also been working to establish new animal models for research (for more information, go to the Laboratory for Animal Resources and Genetic Engineering website).

The animal facility operated by the RIKEN BDR provides the technology and equipment to enable the humane and efficient care and breeding of large numbers of mice. This Specific Pathogen-Free (SPF) facility has the capacity to handle and care for up to 100,000 mice, and incorporates the use of semi-automated equipment and management systems to maintain high standards of hygiene and sterility, minimizing the risk of outbreaks of contagion among the mouse populations.

The BDR also manages a facility for small non-human primates, including marmosets and macaques, for research developing new methods for tracking the pharmacokinetics of drug compounds and for preclinical research for regenerative medicine.

The Research Aquarium Building is located next to the Developmental Biology Buildings on the Kobe Campus and provides space and basic facilities for housing and breeding aquatic organisms needed for research projects in BDR. The species reared include not only traditional model systems in life sciences, such as zebrafish, but also various freshwater and saltwater species that are known for their unique morphological, developmental, and metabolic characteristics. Maintenance and breeding of the unique array of aquatic organisms onsite provides a stable source of research materials to fulfill the BDR’s scientific missions.