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的研究人员已经成长起来，他们已经从国家研究院获得了大量的研究资助 卫生部(NIH)。因此，自2013年以来，密歇根大学的非人类灵长类动物总数增加了两倍。我们的 机构动物资源一直保持着足够数量的标准不锈钢笼子，以 迁就这些动物。然而，一些笼子现在已经相当过时了。此外，我们的笼子是 从众多商业供应商购买，这对建立 通过笼子连接实现住房相互作用。这笔赠款专门用于升级笼子，以促进 美国国立卫生研究院支持的大约100种非人类灵长类动物的环境社会化和丰富 研究动物。该机构在成为非人类灵长类动物领域的领导者方面投入了大量资金 神经科学和成瘾研究。UMMC对现有的盖顿实验室研究大楼进行改造 进入比较性研究中心内的一个非人类灵长类密集型大型动物研究设施 研究(CCR)。这种“整合”的方法为NIH资助的这些研究提供了额外的好处 以加强交叉协作和集中兽医和畜牧业为形式的方案 为非人类灵长类动物的需求量身定做的程序。最终，这些动物受益于拥有一个单一的， 允许社会化的综合环境。这项提议寻求在投资的基础上继续发展 已经由UMMC制造，并通过将剩余的较旧的非人类灵长类笼子替换为 一个集成的Carter2 Systems，Inc.社交笼子系统。这将解决这些人的心理需求 以及为购买定制的研究人员创建标准化的笼子系统 与Carter2式保持架兼容的盒式磁带。此外，我们建议购买移动垂直 有鳞片的隧道。这些隧道是集成的Carter2-Cage系统的一部分，可以跨 用于运输和体重测量的实验室。这些移动隧道将改善动物福利 通过允许我们在不使用镇静剂或约束椅的情况下收集非人类灵长类体重，以及通过 这使我们能够更频繁地收集体重测量数据，从而更密切地跟踪体重趋势。 具体地说，该机构寻求财政支持，以一对一地购买28，Carter2 Systems，Inc. 社交机架和2，Carter2 Systems，Inc.，大型移动垂直隧道，带有线路板和秤。这个 拟议的笼子现代化和垂直隧道的收购将使NIH资助的众多项目 在密歇根大学使用非人类灵长类动物来创造一个适合物种的环境，促进动物福利和 促进产生高质量的科学发现。

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.