Nonhuman Primate Housing Infrastructure and Caging

描述(由申请人提供)：新英格兰灵长类研究中心(NEPRC)是八个国家灵长类研究中心之一，在利用各种非人类灵长类模型系统进行生物医学研究方面有着悠久而富有成效的历史。该中心维护动物生物水平2(ABL2)和动物生物水平3(ABL3)核心设施，并培育无特定病原体(SPF)的恒河猴，以支持这一非常成功的生物医学研究计划。作为其使命的一部分，该中心不仅为该中心的核心工作人员科学家提供资源，也为来自全国各地的科学家提供资源。目前有53名核心和协作科学家获得了由PHS资助的独立研究补助金，这些科学家被分配到国家动物研究中心的设施中饲养动物。这些调查人员代表19个不同的非营利性学术研究组织，并从NIH校外系统内的13个分类机构获得资金。2009年，又有499名调查人员通过其他合作研究或获得血液、组织或其他生物资源，受益于国家反兴奋剂机构的设施。哈佛医学院(HMS)认识到这一国家资源使命，并通过旨在改善和扩大与灵长类相关的住房和实验室基础设施的一系列重大举措，支持了全国灵长类研究中心。尽管有了这些改进，这些设施仍不足以支持目前对动物和这种专门资源的需求。这项申请要求资金购买笼式洗衣机和笼子，以装备目前在建的18,700平方英尺(GSF)的灵长类动物住房设施。该项目广泛使用绿色技术来减少持续的公用事业和运营费用，并利用建筑特征来加强非人类灵长类动物的环境丰富。这项提案的总体目标是扩大灵长类实验住房并改善现有基础设施，以支持多样化的生物医学研究计划。该项目将直接惠及国家资源研究中心的国家资源任务，并促进开展NIH资助的生物医学研究的研究人员获得资源和有效利用资源。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The New England Primate Research Center (NEPRC) is one of eight National Primate Research Centers and has a long and productive history of biomedical research utilizing a variety of nonhuman primate-based model systems. The Center maintains both animal biolevel two (ABL2) and animal biolevel three (ABL3) core facilities and breeds specific pathogen free (SPF) rhesus macaques in support of this highly successful biomedical research program. As part of its mission, the NEPRC serves as a resource not only to core staff scientists located at the Center but also to scientists from across the country. There are currently 53 core and collaborative scientists with PHS-funded independent research grants that are assigned and house animals in the NEPRC facilities. These investigators represent 19 different nonprofit academic research organizations and receive funding from 13 categorical institutes within the NIH extramural system. In 2009, an additional 499 investigators benefited from the NEPRC facilities through other collaborative studies or access to blood, tissues or other biological resources. Harvard Medical School (HMS) recognizes this national resource mission and has supported the NEPRC through a number of major initiatives designed to improve and expand primate-related housing and laboratory infrastructure. Despite these improvements, the facilities are inadequate to support the current demand for animals and such specialized resources. This application requests funds to purchase a cage washer and caging to outfit a 18,700 gross square foot (gsf) primate housing facility currently under construction. The project makes extensive use of green technology to reduce ongoing utility and operating expenses and architectural features to enhance environmental enrichment of nonhuman primates. The overall goal of this proposal is to expand primate experimental housing and improve existing infrastructure in order to support a diverse biomedical research program. The project will directly benefit the national resource mission of the NEPRC and promote the availability and efficient utilization of resources by investigators conducting NIH-funded biomedical research.