Continued Support of an spf Macaca nemestrina breeding colony

摘要

Abstract The aim of this application is to seek bridge funding to maintain the health, well-being, and continued SPF status of the Johns Hopkins pig-tailed macaque colony during the period of no-cost extension, until the award of a successful renewal application. During this period, the JHU colony will continue to provide healthy, behaviorally normal, MHC-characterized, SPF pig-tailed macaques for NIH-funded HIV/AIDS related research. We will continue our plan of expanding the current SPF breeding colony to increase the numbers of females for breeding and juvenile males and females available for sale to NIH- funded HIV/AIDS investigators both within Johns Hopkins University and at other research institutions. We will continue to conduct basic pathogen testing, to include regular tuberculosis skin tests and viral screening to ensure the colony remains SPF for the following viral agents: Cercopithecine herpesvirus 1 (B virus), Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV), Simian Retrovirus (SRV), and Simian T-lymphotrophic Virus (STLV), as well as screening the colony for SARS-CoV-2 infection. We have already undertaken a number of facility and programmatic improvements in response to reviewer feedback on our previous renewal application, as well as expanding the functional capacity of the facility for continued colony growth. With the exception of the caging replacement project, which was funded by the use of previously unspent U42 funds and will be completed prior to the no-cost extension period, these improvements are funded internally by JHU and will continue apace during this bridge period.