Division of Comparative Medicine and Research

One — Veterinary Clinical, Pathology, Diagnostic Services, and Regulatory Support

Pathobiology faculty and veterinary residents within University Laboratory Animal Resources (ULAR) provide veterinary and diagnostic support to investigators throughout the University of Pennsylvania.

Our faculty veterinarians are experts in the comparative medical needs and health care for various animal species, including rodents (mice and rats), non-human primates, dogs, cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, hamsters, birds, and amphibians.

ULAR’s comparative medicine specialists hold advanced degrees in veterinary medicine and science. They are responsible for the care, welfare, and oversight of all research and teaching animals owned by the University of Pennsylvania. All ULAR veterinarians are boarded by their specialty colleges, either ACLAM or ACVP. Our laboratory animal pathologists specifically support rodent diagnostic services, biosecurity, and delivery of necropsy and histopathology services for research animals and exotic species provided through affiliate partnerships.

For these institutional service roles, ULAR veterinary specialists receive faculty support through the Department of Pathobiology and report through the Attending Veterinarian / Executive Director of ULAR & Associate Vice Provost for Research to the Senior Vice Provost for Research, Penn’s Institutional Official. The organization’s structure meets the expectations of legal mandates and federal guidelines for the housing, care, and well-being of research animals.

ULAR veterinary specialists are assisted by a team of talented veterinary technicians, who are essential for additional support to the animal research community. These technicians have expertise in veterinary medical care and anesthesia of various species and are available for fee-for-service assistance to research teams.

Three — Biomedical / Clinical Research and Consulting With Researchers Using Models of Animal Disease and Disorders

Our faculty veterinarians and residents consult and advise research staff on improving their experimental models and may participate in collaborative research projects.

Significant areas of comparative medicine & research interest within the ULAR faculty group include pathogenesis of infectious disease, improvements in the anesthesia of rodents, surgical models in large animal species, aquatics and amphibians, musculoskeletal physiology, rodent virology, improvements in research animal husbandry, veterinary care of immunodeficient small and large animals, and organ transplantation immunobiology.