Upgrade to Housing Systems for Nonhuman Primates in the Center for Comparative Research

项目摘要 2014年，密西西比大学医学中心（UMMC）扩大了对药物成瘾的研究， 增加了几个使用非人类灵长类动物的研究项目。从那时起，非人类灵长类动物的数量 UMMC的研究人员不断壮大，他们获得了美国国家研究院的大量研究赠款 健康（NIH）。因此，自2013年以来，UMMC的非人灵长类动物总数增加了两倍。我们 动物资源机构总是保持足够数量的“标准”不锈钢笼， 照顾这些动物。然而，有些笼子现在已经过时了。此外，我们的笼子是 从众多商业供应商处购买，这对建立社交网络提出了相当大的挑战。 通过笼连接的房屋相互作用。这笔赠款是专门针对升级笼子，将促进 为我们的大约100只NIH支持的非人灵长类动物提供社会化和丰富的环境， 研究动物该机构已经进行了重大投资，成为非人灵长类动物的领导者。 神经科学和成瘾研究。UMMC改造了现有的盖顿实验室研究大楼 进入一个非人类灵长类动物密集的大型动物研究设施， 研究（CCR）。这种“整合”方法为这些NIH资助的研究提供了额外的好处 以更大的交叉合作和集中兽医和畜牧业的机会的形式的计划 为非人类灵长类动物量身定制的项目最终，动物们受益于一个， 一个适合社会化的环境。这项建议旨在建立在投资的基础上， 已经由UMMC制造，并将我们剩余的旧的非人类灵长类动物笼子现代化， 一个集成的卡特2系统公司，社会牢笼系统这将满足这些人的心理需求。 动物以及创建一个标准化的笼子系统的研究人员谁购买了定制的 与Carter2型融合器兼容的卡匣。此外，我们建议购买移动的垂直 有鳞片的隧道这些隧道是集成的Carter2笼系统的一部分，可用于 用于运输和体重测量的实验室。这些移动的隧道将改善动物福利 通过允许我们收集非人类灵长类动物的重量，而不使用镇静药物或约束椅子， 使我们能够更频繁地收集体重测量结果，从而更密切地跟踪体重趋势。 具体而言，该机构寻求财政支持，以购买28，卡特2系统公司，一比一 社会化机架和2，卡特2系统公司，大型移动的垂直隧道，带有金属丝面板和刻度。的 拟议中的笼子现代化和垂直隧道的购置将使许多NIH资助的项目 在UMMC使用非人灵长类动物，以获得一个适合物种的环境，促进动物福利， 促进产生高质量的科学成果。

Project Summary In 2014, the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) expanded its research on drug addiction with the addition of several research programs using nonhuman primates. Since then, the number of nonhuman primate researchers at UMMC has grown, and they have obtained numerous research grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). As a result, the total number of nonhuman primates at UMMC has tripled since 2013. Our institutional animal resources have always maintained sufficient numbers of “standard” stainless steel caging to accommodate these animals. However, some of the caging is now quite dated. Moreover, our caging was purchased from numerous commercial vendors presenting a considerable challenge to establishing social housing interactions through cage linking. This grant is specifically directed at upgrading caging that will facilitate socialization and enrichment of the environment for our approximately 100, NIH-supported, nonhuman primate research animals. The institution has made a significant investment to be a leader in nonhuman primate neuroscience and addiction research. UMMC transformed the existing Guyton Laboratory Research Building into a nonhuman primate-intensive large animal research facility housed within the Center for Comparative Research (CCR). This “consolidation” approach provided additional benefits to these NIH-funded research programs in the form of opportunities for greater cross-collaboration and centralized veterinary and husbandry programs tailored to nonhuman primate needs. Ultimately, the animals have benefited by having a single, comprehensive environment that allows for socialization. This proposal seeks to build upon the investment already made by UMMC and modernize our remaining older nonhuman primate cages by replacing them with an integrated Carter2 Systems, Inc., social-caging system. This will address the psychological needs of these animal as well as create a standardized caging system for the researchers who have purchased customized cassettes that are compatible with the Carter2-style cages. In addition, we propose to purchase mobile vertical tunnels with scales. These tunnels are part of the integrated Carter2-caging system and can be used across laboratories for transportation and body weight measurements. These mobile tunnels will improve animal welfare by allowing us to collect nonhuman primate weights without using sedative drugs or restraint chairs, and by allowing us to collect more frequent weight measurements and thus, more closely track trends in weight. Specifically, the institution seeks financial support to purchase 28, Carter2 Systems, Inc., one-over-one socialization racks and 2, Carter2 Systems, Inc., large mobile vertical tunnels with wire panels and scales. The proposed caging modernization and acquisition of vertical tunnels will allow the numerous NIH-funded projects using nonhuman primates at UMMC to have a species-appropriate environment, fostering animal welfare and facilitating the production of quality scientific findings.