Housing Equipment to Meet Social Needs of Nonhuman Primates

描述（由申请人提供）：华盛顿国家灵长类动物研究中心（WaNPRC）致力于支持非人灵长类动物模型系统的研究。作为这一承诺的一部分，WaNPRC继续获得必要的资源，以使用最相关，最健康，适应性最好的动物模型来实现实验目标。社会接触被广泛认为是对实验室灵长类动物异常行为最有效的预防和治疗方法，但在某些实验中可能需要限制。获得模块化富集笼将大大提高WaNPRC的能力，以满足畜牧业标准，提高心理健康，从而支持利用非人灵长类动物的生物医学研究。对于受限制方案的受试者，灵活的社会化选项将允许灵长类动物视觉接触，通过梳理栏进行有限的身体接触，或在某些研究阶段进行完全的身体接触和社会化，如方案要求所示。这种灵活性将允许在整个研究过程中最大可能的社会化，从而促进灵长类动物的心理健康，如1985年动物福利法修正案所规定的。拟议的笼合符合并超过当前的联邦监管标准、指南和建议。相关性：增加新的笼舍，提供各种社会化选择，将有利于NIH资助的各种生物医学研究，以改善公众健康。提供最佳动物护理和最佳动物模型的基础设施对于华盛顿国家灵长类动物研究中心的运作至关重要，并支持广泛的研究项目，目前有72个不同的项目，这些项目致力于人类健康的重要进展。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Washington National Primate Research Center (WaNPRC) has an extensive commitment towards support of research in nonhuman primate model systems. As part of this commitment, the WaNPRC continues to acquire resources necessary to meet experimental objectives using the most relevant, healthiest, well-adapted animal model possible. Social contact is widely recognized as the most effective prevention and therapy for abnormal behavior in laboratory primates, but may need to be limited for certain experiments. Acquisition of modular enrichment caging will greatly improve the ability of the WaNPRC to meet standards for animal husbandry and enhance psychological well-being, in turn supporting biomedical research utilizing nonhuman primates. For subjects on restricted protocols, flexible socialization options will allow primates visual contact, limited physical contact through grooming bars, or full physical contact and socialization during certain study phases, as dictated by protocol requirements. This flexibility will allow for the maximum possible socialization throughout the course of the study, thereby promoting the primate's psychological well-being as mandated in the 1985 Amendment to the Animal Welfare Act. The proposed caging meets and exceeds current federal regulatory standards, guidelines and recommendations. Relevance: The addition of new caging with a variety of options for socialization will benefit a wide variety of biomedical research funded by NIH to improve the public health. The infrastructure to provide optimal animal care and the best possible animal model is essential for the operation of the Washington National Primate Research Center, and supports research projects across a broad portfolio, currently 72 different projects, which work toward important advances for human health.