The Vervet Research Colony as Biomedical Resource

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PROJECT SUMMARY This application is an administrative supplement to the "Vervet Research Colony as a Biomedical Resource" (VRC, P40-OD010965). The purpose of this application is to obtain funds to support alterations and renovations (A&R) to enhance the indoor animal housing space used by this unique nonhuman primate resource. The VRC is the only NIH-funded biomedical research resource for US-born vervet/African green monkeys (AGM; Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus) and has been continuously funded since 2005. As an Animal and Biological Material Resource (ABMR), the VRC serves a wide range of local, regional and national investigators by providing animals, biological samples, data, consultation and training pertaining to the use of vervets/AGMs as multi-categorical, translational models of human disease. The VRC has facilitated critical translational research across a wide variety of disciplines, including: aging and Alzheimer's disease; immunology and vaccine development; diabetes, metabolic disease and obesity; biomedical imaging; and genetics, among others. The aims of the parent grant are to: 1) provide the scientific community with access to animals, biological samples, data and expertise to facilitate the use of vervets for a wide-range of biomedical research; 2) to provide exceptional training opportunities, and to serve as a platform for community and scientific outreach; and 3) to enhance the resource by engaging in applied research focused on continuing genetic and phenotypic characterization and expanding potential of the vervet as a translational model in novel research areas. For this A&R supplement, we propose to design, build and install novel enrichment cages that improve the physical and psychosocial environment for a subset of the animal population that can't be housed in species typical social groups due to clinical or experimental reasons. We also propose to install infrared cameras to add this new housing area to our existing 24h surveillance camera system; and to improve sensory and cognitive enrichment. These efforts will enhance animal welfare and veterinary care, while also opening up new research opportunities.