The UIMQ/A, located on the ground floor of the research and laboratory building, has an area of approximately 700 m²². It is monitored by a CCTV circuit connected to the Hospital's Security Control Centre, and access to its facilities is restricted. It is divided into the following areas:

Animal facility:

• A quarantine room with an animal reception area.
• Two housing areas for rodents, guinea pigs and rabbits. These consist of a distribution and work room and various housing rooms:
  • – Two for rats
  • – Two for mice
  • – One for rabbits and guinea pigs

All housing rooms have light cycle, temperature and humidity control. They are also fitted with individually ventilated racks, U-TEMP polyetherimide microisolators of various sizes and species (rats, mice and guinea pigs), and a transfer cabinet for handling SPF and immunosuppressed animals.

• Two housing rooms for large animals.
• A cleaning and disinfection room equipped with two cage washers.
• Three storage rooms for materials, feed, bedding and equipment.

Laboratories and experimental operating theatres:

• An experimental work room for rodents equipped with two surgical microscopes.
• Two experimental operating theatres with independent acclimatisation and positive pressure, equipped with anaesthesia stations and vital sign monitoring equipment.
• A multifunctional laboratory.

The UIMQ/A's total animal capacity allows for the housing of 700 rats, 900 mice, 40 guinea pigs, 6 rabbits and 6 pigs/sheep.

Staff

Staff assigned to the UIMQ/A are trained in the functions required to handle and care for laboratory animals in accordance with Order ECC/566/2015, of 20 March, which establishes the training requirements for staff handling animals used, bred or supplied for experimentation and other scientific purposes, including teaching.

• Designated veterinarian responsible «in situ» for animal welfare.
  • – Martín Santos González
• Part-time animal caretaker.