Nonhuman Primate Housing Infrastructure and Caging

描述（由申请人提供）：新英格兰灵长类动物研究中心（NEPRC）是八个国家灵长类动物研究中心之一，在利用各种非人灵长类动物模型系统进行生物医学研究方面具有悠久而富有成效的历史。该中心维护动物生物水平2（ABL 2）和动物生物水平3（ABL 3）的核心设施，并饲养无特定病原体（SPF）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，NEPRC不仅为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名核心和合作科学家与公共卫生系统资助的独立研究赠款，分配和家庭动物在NEPRC设施。这些研究人员代表19个不同的非营利学术研究组织，并接受NIH校外系统内13个分类研究所的资助。2009年，另有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而受益于国家环境研究中心的设施。哈佛医学院（HMS）认识到这一国家资源使命，并通过一系列旨在改善和扩大灵长类动物相关住房和实验室基础设施的重大举措支持NEPRC。尽管有这些改进，但设施不足以支持目前对动物和这种专门资源的需求。此申请要求资金购买一个笼子清洗机和笼子，以装备一个18,700总平方英尺（gsf）的灵长类动物住房设施，目前正在建设。该项目广泛使用绿色技术，以减少持续的公用事业和运营费用以及建筑特征，以提高非人类灵长类动物的环境丰富度。该提案的总体目标是扩大灵长类动物实验室，改善现有基础设施，以支持多样化的生物医学研究计划。该项目将直接有利于NEPRC的国家资源使命，并促进进行NIH资助的生物医学研究的研究人员对资源的可用性和有效利用。

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.