Expansion of Socialization and Housing Systems for Nonhuman Primates in the Center for Comparative Research

 描述（由申请人提供）：2013年，密西西比大学医学中心（UMMC）积极寻求扩大基于动物的成瘾研究的机构计划。2014年，这些努力取得了成果，增加了几个使用猕猴的PHS资助的研究项目。这些程序被添加到现有的使用非人类灵长类动物进行视觉研究的程序中。总之，在过去的两年里，在UMMC使用非人灵长类动物的生物医学研究增加了200%以上，涉及大约100只动物，其中大部分用于由美国国立卫生研究院资助的有意识的行为研究。我们的机构动物资源一直保持足够数量的“标准”不锈钢笼来容纳这些动物。然而，大部分的笼子现在已经过时了。此外，笼子是从许多商业笼子供应商那里购买的，这对通过笼子连接建立社会住房相互作用提出了相当大的挑战。此外，在大多数情况下，笼子有坚固的侧面，防止与近邻进行任何形式的视觉或触觉交流。正如《实验室动物护理和使用指南》（第8版艾德）中所述，“同一物种（同种）成员之间适当的社会互动对正常发育和健康至关重要。《指南》接着指出，“社会性物种的单一圈养应是例外，并根据实验要求或兽医对动物福祉的相关考虑进行合理化”，“在可能的情况下，应提供与相容同种动物的视觉、听觉、嗅觉和触觉接触”。这笔赠款是专门针对收购笼，将促进社会化和丰富的环境，为我们的100个非人类灵长类动物研究动物。该机构认识到这些研究项目的关键转化价值和这些非人类灵长类动物的内在价值。该机构已作出重大投资，成为非人类灵长类动物神经科学和行为研究的领导者。UMMC已经开始将现有的盖顿实验室研究大楼（一楼）改造成一个非人类灵长类动物密集的大型动物研究设施。该机构的目标是让所有非人灵长类动物及其相关的研究项目都安置在一个专门满足其需求的独特的动物研究设施中。这种“整合”方法将为这些企业提供额外的好处， NIH资助的研究项目，其形式是提供更多的交叉合作机会，以及针对非人灵长类动物需求的集中兽医和畜牧项目。最终，动物将受益于一个单一的，全面的环境，促进社会化。该提案旨在建立在UMMC已经创造的投资势头的基础上，并获得社会笼子系统，以满足这一属的心理需求。具体而言，该机构寻求财政支持，以购买：2007年（47）卡特2系统公司， One-Over-One社交化机架：6.25英尺的地板面积，带有2个滑动卡匣面板选项（每个科学计划单独获取的唯一卡匣）。架子可以相互连接，形成更大的水平社会单位，也可以用来形成垂直的社会安排。总之，拟议的笼式收购将使许多NIH资助的项目使用非人灵长类动物在UMMC有一个物种适当的环境，促进动物福利和促进生产质量的科学发现。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In 2013, the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) actively pursued expansion of institutional programs in animal-based addiction research. In 2014, these efforts came to fruition with the addition of several PHS-funded research programs using macaque monkeys. These programs were added to existing programs that use nonhuman primates in vision research. In sum, over the past two years, biomedical research using nonhuman primates at UMMC has increased by over 200% to involve approximately 100 animals, most of whom are used in conscious, behavioral research funded through the National Institutes of Health. Our institutional animal resources have always maintained sufficient numbers of "standard" stainless steel caging to accommodate these animals. However, much of the caging is now quite dated. Moreover, the caging has been purchased from numerous commercial-caging vendors presenting a considerable challenge to establishing social housing interactions through cage linking. Furthermore, in the majority of cases, cages have solid sides that prevent any form of visual or tactile communication with immediate neighbors. As noted in the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (8th ed), "appropriate social interactions among members of the same species (conspecifics) are essential to normal development and well-being." The Guide goes on to state that "single housing of social species should be the exception and justified based on experimental requirements or veterinary-related concerns about animal well- being" and "where possible, visual, auditory, olfactory, and tactile contact with compatible conspecifics should be provided". This grant is specifically directed at acquiring caging that will facilitate socialization and enrichment of the environment for our 100 nonhuman primate research animals. The institution recognizes the critical translational value of these research programs and the intrinsic value of these nonhuman primates. The institution has made a significant investment to be a leader in nonhuman primate neuroscience and behavior research. UMMC has initiated a process of transforming the existing Guyton Laboratory Research Building (ground level) into a nonhuman primate-intensive large animal research facility. The Institutional goal is to have all nonhuman primates and their associated research programs housed in one, distinct animal research facility specialized to their needs. This "consolidation" approach will provide additional benefits to these NIH-funded research programs in the form of opportunities for greater cross- collaboration and centralized veterinary and husbandry programs tailored to nonhuman primate needs. Ultimately, the animals will benefit by having a single, comprehensive environment that promotes socialization. This proposal seeks to build upon the investment momentum already created by UMMC and acquire social caging systems to address the psychological needs of this genus. Specifically, the institution seeks financial support to purchase:  (47) Carter2 Systems, Inc., One-Over-One Socialization Racks: 6.25 ft floor area with 2 sliding cassette panel options (unique cassettes acquired separately by each scientific program). Racks can interlock to form larger, horizontal social units and can be used to form vertical social arrangements. In summary, the proposed caging acquisitions will allow the numerous NIH funded projects using nonhuman primates at UMMC to have a species-appropriate environment, fostering animal welfare and facilitating the production of quality scientific findings.