Keith Jenné

Keith Jenné, DVM is Executive Director of the Animal Care Program and Campus Veterinarian as of April 2023. He leads a staff of 175, and manages an annual budget of approximately $20 million for in-vivo research. Dr. Jenné is an Associate Clinical Professor in Health Sciences, (non- salaried) in the School of Medicine.

As Attending Veterinarian, Dr. Jenné, oversees activities relating to the care and use of animals at UC San Diego. He directs Animal Care Program operations to assure effective animal research in accordance with governmental and University policies & procedures and integration of standards of animal care, animal health and husbandry.

Dr. Jenné provides oversight and management of animal research space, including participation in the development and design of new, and renovation of existing, animal research facilities. He interacts with the University community the Directors of other Animal Care Programs, and affiliates with professional organizations to integrate progressive standards of animal care at UC San Diego.

Dr. Jenné joined UC San Diego as Associate Director in June of 2001, he has spearheaded the development and operation of more than 50,000-square-feet of in-vivo research space, and managed logistics, equipment and maintenance for ACP, including the first-of-its-kind $15 million centralized research services facility funded in part by the NIH.

The UCSD Animal Care Program is a team of dedicated professionals committed to improving human and animal health, and promoting valuable advances in science. We do this by facilitating and participating in research, teaching, and training, while ensuring humane animal care.

Animal Care Program is the centralized in-vivo research services department which provides animal husbandry and healthcare services for the UCSD campus.

We maintained a workforce of approximately 180 staff, including veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and laboratory animal specialists, many of whom are certified in the field. This team of professionals were on campus through the pandemic to maintain a level of excellence in the care of hundreds of thousands of animals, as they are committed to do so each and every day.

For the last forty years the animal care and use program has maintained continued full accreditation for the UCSD’s program of animal care and use which demonstrates excellence in the use of animals in research. The three-year Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) site visit accreditation review requires considerable preparation and coordinated effort with many other units on campus, research staff and faculty.

We offer technically advanced research services for UCSD investigators as well as for our industry partners through service agreements administered by the contracts and grants office. We provide expert technical skills to our clients to facilitate cutting edge research, and generate revenue for our program to offset operating costs.

The ACP Laboratory Animal Medicine Training program, has a three year program certified by the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM) succeeded in producing four diplomats in the specialty field. All residents who have completed the program are employed in major academic institutions throughout the United States.

The Animal Care Program, Centralized Research Service Facility was founded on a $15M DHHS C06 facilities grant award. The facility operates the first of its kind centralized cage-wash facility which operates independently from any of the animal facilities, enabling enormous cost savings for the campus – which includes utility and maintenance savings, operational efficiencies, and lower construction costs associated with new facilities. Net estimates of the overall savings to the campus thus far exceed $50M.

 

For more about Animal Research for the Public Good at UC San Diego click here.