Animal Model Core

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Project Summary Our U19 program is focused on the investigation of the pathophysiology of B. anthracis infection and sepsis and potential novel therapies. The Animal Core will serve as an integral component of the U19 program, providing support to all three projects using a clinically relevant animal model of sepsis. The investigators will have a unique opportunity to answer critical questions by combining a genetically diverse, clinically relevant animal model, which has a proven history of mimicking human responses to sepsis with novel technologies being developed within our program. The Animal Core combines a unique set of facilities, management and technical expertise needed to achieve the Specific Aims of this program, as well as expert veterinary care, specialized reagent tools and strong expertise in advanced biochemical and microscopical analysis of tissue samples. The personnel involved in the Core have more than three decades of experience in infectious disease modeling in non-human primates. Optimal utilization of clinically relevant animal models for research on bioterrorism related pathogens such as B. anthracis requires a facility where animals are housed in appropriate biocontainment, research personnel are experienced in the methodologies required for infectious disease research, and development of novel therapeutics is required. Our Animal Core will use state-of-the-art facilities to develop animal models for studying disease pathogenesis and testing the efficacy and safety of novel therapeutics. Our facilities fully support biohazard research at ABSL-2 and meet all the NIH/CDC guidelines. Hence, this Core is a critical component in support of the proposals aimed at developing innovative therapeutics against B. anthracis, which we believe will be relevant to other Gram-positive pathogens.