California National Primate Research Center

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This renewal requests support for the California National Primate Research Center's Staff Scientists, Primate Services, Administrative Services, and Improvement and Modernization projects. Support services for intra- and extramural research programs are provided by the Administrative Services and Primate Services Units. The aims of this application are to: 1) provide infrastructure support essential to conduct successful research on nonhuman primates; 2) enhance the Center's ability to serve as a regional, national and international resource; 3) increase availability of specifically characterized rhesus macaques for biomedical research by expanding the specific pathogen free colony. The first aim will be carried out by providing support for 20 Staff Scientists in four categorical research units: Brain, Mind and Behavior; Reproductive Sciences; Respiratory Diseases; and Virology and Immunology. AIDS-related research is conducted by scientists from three of the four Units. Collectively, the Staff Scientists serve as the intellectual infrastructure for a broad-based program that continues to attract scientists from outside the Center. The Affiliate Scientist Program provides opportunities for non-Staff investigators to conduct research at CNPRC, and the Pilot Research Program is especially designed to provide research opportunities to junior investigators and/or those inexperienced with nonhuman primate research. Aims 2 and 3 will be accomplished by facilities improvements that are proposed, as well as by the three Resource- Related Research Projects proposed in this application, which will focus on: a) using bioacoustic assessment for primate management; b) employing reproductive strategies for enhancing management of the indoor breeding colony; and c) developing novel methods for Mycobacteria detection. Six Core Science Service Units are also proposed in this renewal: Computational Imaging, Endocrine, Immunology, Inhalation Exposure, Pathogen Detection and Behavior Assessment. These service units will provide the expertise and resources to support both core and collaborative research at the Center.