Research Staff Profile -- Steve Plouff

Animals Big and Small, Researchers Need Them All

The Animal Care Office provides care, husbandry, and veterinary medicine for all animals used in teaching and research on campus and the livestock located at the two University farms. Steve Plouff, the director of Animal Care gets many unusual calls from off campus. "I've had people ask if they can bring their pet in to be vaccinated or if we can treat a sick duck” joked Steve. "But that isn't what we do. We are responsible for providing proper and stable care for the animals on campus so that researchers can do their jobs."

Steve works closely with the part-time attending campus veterinarian, 10 full-time animal caretakers, and several student employees along with Physical Plant, the Biosafety Officer and the Office of Environmental Health and Safety to provide care for over 5000 animals. With more than 20 different kinds of animals including rodents, monkeys, lizards, and alpacas in 8 different facilities, the Animal Care Office plays an important role behind the scenes for research.

Steve came to campus in 1998, and he was instrumental in separating the Animal Care Office from the Office of Compliance. Steve pointed out, "They needed to be two separate offices, and as far as regulatory agencies are concerned, they are supposed to be completely separate. It's looking at the animals in research from two very different directions." Prior to coming to UMass, Steve owned and operated a veterinary hospital and worked as a research scientist in pharmacology and toxicology for private industry. As a former researcher himself, Steve mentioned that it is "very satisfying to find out that someone we have worked with has published their work and been successful in their research, since we were a part of that."

The completion of the new Central Animal Care Facility adjacent to Tobin Hall in 2000 was another important change that Steve has been involved with. "This centralized facility has been a great asset to research on campus, but we are still hoping for more animal space. We are packed!" While the population of animals on campus has remained stable over the past few years, the campus has added new researchers. "That's why we are running out of space--you usually don't house multiple researchers in the same space," explained Steve. "The lack of space can have an effect on the recruitment and hiring of faculty, so we are exploring opportunities for adding space. One possibility we are considering is the addition of a modular building to an existing facility. We are excited about the possibility of adding a modular building. These buildings can be up and running in a few months, and they are specifically designed as animal research space."

In addition to providing animal care, the office also offers an antibody production service and serves as a resource for training and information about the handling, use, and care of animals in teaching and research. Visit the Animal Care Office website or contact Steve Plouff (545-0668) for more information.

Biography

Education

Two years toward a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine, 1986-1988

Bachelor of Science in Medical Biology from the University of New England, Biddeford, Maine, May 19, 1985.

Experience

April, 2002 to Present
Director of Animal Care, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA.

Supervise, train and work with animal care technicians
Develop and implement procedures and program for laboratory animal care and use
Member of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee

April, 1998 to April, 2002
Animal Care Supervisor, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA.

Trained and worked with laboratory animal care technicians
Assisted the Director with developing and implementing procedures and programs for laboratory animal care and use
Member of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee

November, 1990 to April, 1998
Research Scientist/Animal Research Facility Manager, Advanced Magnetics, Inc., Cambridge, MA.

Research experience included blood half-life, biodistribution, hemodynamic, LD₅₀, anaphylactic, acute and chronic toxicity studies in multiple species
Member of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee

September, 1987 to August 1990
Owner of Weetahmo Veterinary Hospital, Rowley, MA.

January, 1989 to May, 1989
Central Station Operator, JK Security Systems, Danvers, MA.

November, 1985 to May, 1986
Veterinary Technician, Northboro Veterinary Clinic, Northboro, MA.

June, 1985 to November, 1985
Intensive Care Unit/Emergency Nurse, Angell Memorial Hospital, Jamaica Plain, MA.

March 1984 to May, 1985
Veterinary Assistant, Stonelodge Animal Hospital, Westbrook, ME.

January, 1984 to May, 1985
Volunteered 40 hours per weekat Stonelodge Animal Hospital, Westbrook, ME.

January, 1983 to May 1985
Research Assistant, Pharmacology Department, University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Awards and Associations

American Association for Laboratory Animal Science, Laboratory Animal Technologist Certification, July, 1992.

Dean's List, Fall, 1982 through Spring, 1985, University of New England.

Outstanding Graduating Senior in the Division of Life Sciences, University of New England.

Publications

Earnhardt J.T., Plouff S.W., "Effects of Ketamine on Gamma-aminobutyric Acid Cardiovascular Control," Manuscript in preparation.

Earnhardt J.T., Plouff S.W., Bograkos W., Ochie E., "Gamma-aminobutyric Acid and Blood Pressure Regulation in the Rat, " JACA 84:218/105, Oct. 1984