Modernizing sterilization infrastructure for reliable and economical rodent barrier operations

The National Institutes of Health Office of the Director awarded The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York $350,000 on September 1, 2026, under the Research Infrastructure Programs (CFDA 93.351) to modernize sterilization infrastructure at the Irving Cancer Research Center vivarium.

Columbia will replace a bulk steam autoclave with a Gruenberg Steri-Dry bulk dry-heat sterilizer to sterilize cages supporting barrier housing for patient-derived xenografts, immunocompromised and humanized mouse strains, and genetically engineered mouse models used by over 80 investigators, more than 85 percent of whom are NIH-funded. The vivarium serves the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center, enabling research in tumor biology, immuno-oncology, cancer genomics, and translational therapeutics.

Dry-heat sterilization delivers equivalent sterility assurance to steam autoclaving while reducing annual utility costs by more than 70 percent. Per-cycle costs drop from $28.32 for steam to $14.21 for dry heat, and the system eliminates approximately $4,500 in annual cage replacement costs from steam-induced polymer damage, yielding nearly 75 percent annual savings overall. Dry-heat sterilization produces cages that are sterile, dry, and free of baked-on bedding, reducing labor and enabling same-day sterile setups for irreplaceable and immunocompromised models. The upgrade will also allow Columbia to decommission the inefficient ICRC steam plant, lowering steam demand across campus.

Performance occurs at New York, NY 10032 through August 31, 2027.

Abstract

Columbia university irving medical center (CUIMC) requests support to modernize the cage sterilization capacity of the irving cancer research center (ICRC) vivarium by replacing a bulk steam autoclave with a gruenberg steri-dry™ bulk dry-heat sterilizer. The ICRC vivarium provides barrier housing for patient-derived xenografts (PDX), immunocompromised and humanized mouse strains, and genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMS) that support the research of over 80 investigators, more than 85% of whom are NIH-funded. These models are central to columbia's NCI-designated herbert irving comprehensive cancer center (HICCC) and enable research in tumor biology, immuno-oncology, cancer genomics, and translational therapeutics. Dry-heat sterilization offers equivalent sterility assurance to steam autoclaving while delivering major advantages in cost, reliability, and workflow. The proposed system uses only electricity, eliminating the demand for steam and water and lowering utility costs by more than 70% annually. On a per-cycle basis, dry heat costs $14.21 versus $28.32 for steam, and avoids approximately $4,500 in annual cage replacement costs caused by steam-induced polymer damage. Overall, this represents nearly 75% annual savings. Operational efficiency is also improved: unlike steam, dry heat sterilization produces cages that are sterile, dry, and free of baked-on bedding, reducing labor and enabling same-day sterile setups for irreplaceable and immunocompromised models. This upgrade will directly enhance research reproducibility and animal welfare while reducing the institutional and research costs borne by investigators. In the long term, IT will also allow columbia to decommission the inefficient ICRC steam plant, a single-building system that is expensive to maintain and a barrier to campus- wide energy modernization. By lowering steam demand, the project supports the university's future infrastructure renewal goals, including transition to a combined heat and power plant for more efficient campus-wide energy generation.