Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer

AFRL, Griffiss Institute Sign Partnership Intermediary Agreement for STEM Education
The Information Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL/RI) has entered into a unique Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA) with a not-for-profit corporation, The Griffiss Institute, Inc. (GI), to facilitate technology transfer and assist with implementing the Defense Education Program for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) with local secondary schools. With headquarters in Rome, N.Y., the Information Directorate develops information technologies for aerospace command and control, and its transition to air, space and ground systems. Its focus areas include a broad spectrum of technologies, including information fusion and exploitation, communications and networking, collaborative environments, modeling and simulation, defensive information warfare, and intelligent information systems technologies. Established in 2002 as a nonprofit corporation with New York State economic development funds, GI advocates and facilitates the cooperation of private industry, academia, and government in developing solutions to critical information technology problems.

Plum Island Focuses on Humane Animal Research
Over 20 million mice are used each year by thousands of researchers in scientific projects worldwide. The vast majority of the experiments require blood to be drawn as part of the research project, and the primary method used in the United States to draw blood is retro-orbital (eye) bleeding. This is a rapid and efficient bleeding method; however, it is extremely inhumane for the mouse. In fact, many countries have banned this procedure. Alternatively, bleeding by clipping off the end of the tail is simple and slightly more humane, but yields a very limited amount of blood; and neither method can be used when multiple samples are required from the same animal in the same day. Mice can be bled from the submandibular region (at the rear of the jawbone) using an expensive scalpel or hypodermic needle to puncture one of the veins. But a great deal of practice and a fine touch are required because the scalpel or needle must be inserted deep enough to puncture the vein but not so deep that it goes through the cheek. This technique is very difficult to learn.

Drs. William Golde and Luis Rodriquez wanted to design a device that could only be inserted to a specific depth and would be a simple method for bleeding mice that could be easily taught and mastered. They were unsuccessful in their attempt to modify the finger stick lancets diabetics use, so they designed a prototype lancet they believed would work. Peter Gollobin, the owner of a small Long Island company that designs and manufactures medical products, was contacted to discuss the design and manufacture of a prototype, and a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) was established. Gollobin designed and produced several lancets. Additional modifications and improvements established a design that was easy to use and worked every time.

The final design is a 2" strip of surgical steel with a triangular blade that controls the penetration depth. Different point lengths accommodate different size mice. The technique has increased the accuracy of experiments that require multiple samples from the same animal. This simple method to draw blood has reduced the suffering of laboratory mice. Internationally, researchers are rapidly adopting this technology and have purchased over a million lancets in less than a year.