# Significant expansion of the SNPRC ABSL3 capability in the wake of COVID-19

> **NIH NIH P51** · TEXAS BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE · 2020 · $2,000,000

## Abstract

Research Summary/Abstract.
The SNPRC is one of seven NIH supported National Primate Research Centers. The center receives
additional support from the sponsor organization, Texas Biomedical Research Institute. The center and
the institute have a very strong focus on biomedical research involving infectious disease. The site
operates primate studies at ASBL 2-3-4 levels. Prior to March 2020, the SNPRC supported studies in
NHPs on TB, and TB/HIV co-infection in its new ABSL3 lab (Bldg 12) which can house ~80 rhesus
macaques.
In response to the global pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2; Texas Biomed and
the SNPRC have become interested in developing NHP models of this infection, and the ensuing
diseases, COVID-19. This has led to very early SARS-CoV2 infection studies for model development,
in three species of research NHPs (https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.05.136481v1).
We are currently supporting a number of NHP studies for Fortune 500/leading biotechnology
companies for preventative vaccine and therapeutic candidates for SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19. Our
current ABSL3 newly opened in Q4, 2019 is capable of housing up to 80 macaques, across four rooms.
This facility is currently in use at virtually full capacity due to COVID-19 and TB work. Due to the urgent
nature for research to address SARS-CoV-2, as well as to support research in any future emerging
pathogens, the center must therefore expand its ABSL3 primate capabilities. The historic (now closed)
ABSL3 located in Bldg 23 on campus can be renovated to a state of the art ABSL3 space. Renovation
of this space would bring online four more rooms in ABSL3 containment; with the capacity of an
additional 64 macaques. This would represent a significant, 80% increase in the number of macaques
that could be enrolled on SARS-CoV2 studies; and a gain of four additional individual study rooms. In
the short-term this supplemental funding would allow us to complete the COVID-19 vaccination
experiments currently being supported by the SNPRC. Long-term we would be prepared to respond to
COVID-19 vaccine and therapeutic testing work that is expected to be performed by the NPRCs in
support of ACTIV and Warp Speed operations, as well as any other ABSL-3 work.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10197684
- **Project number:** 3P51OD011133-22S3
- **Recipient organization:** TEXAS BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE
- **Principal Investigator:** Larry S. Schlesinger
- **Activity code:** P51 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $2,000,000
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 1999-06-06 → 2021-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10197684

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10197684, Significant expansion of the SNPRC ABSL3 capability in the wake of COVID-19 (3P51OD011133-22S3). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10197684. Licensed CC0.

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