# Genomic sequencing to establish a macaque genotype and phenotype research resource

> **NIH NIH R24** · OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $590,112

## Abstract

SUMMARY
Rhesus macaques are the most commonly studied non-human primate (NHP) in academic biomedical
research. Due to their high level of genomic, physiological, anatomical and behavioral similarity to humans,
macaques often serve as an indispensable preclinical model. The close evolutionary history of macaques and
humans is evident in their similar disease susceptibilities and genetic associations (e.g., S/HIV, macular
degeneration, obesity, cardiovascular disease, age-associated cognitive decline, etc.). The Oregon National
Primate Research Center (ONPRC) is home to more than 4,000 Indian-origin rhesus macaques, the current
members of a pedigreed breeding colony that spans 10 generations. This colony supports 38 federally funded
research studies at the ONPRC, an additional 60+ studies at other research institutions, and several
collaborative, large scale phenotyping studies. However given the absence of genome-wide genotyping tools
for macaques, genomic data on the ONPRC rhesus macaque colony remain extremely sparse. This R24 will
develop a novel and efficient approach for the large-scale genomic characterization of this heavily studied
colony. We will obtain 30X whole genome sequence data on at least 200 selected individuals to generate a
dense genomic map of the colony. We will then utilize genotype-by-sequencing (GBS), an approach
commonly used in genomic studies of plants but still rarely used in biomedical research, in concert with
genome-wide imputation to obtain complete genomic data in an additional 1,000 subjects. By leveraging the
dense pedigree structure for the accurate imputation of genome-wide genotypes, we will establish a very low-
cost method for the continued characterization of future generations, ensuring a lasting resource for biomedical
research. To facilitate widespread use of the data we generate, we will develop a database that enables public
access in near real-time to the genotype data produced. The database will also include clinical data on the
same animals, making it the first publically accessible resource to provide both NHP genotype and phenotype
data. The clinical/phenotypic data can be analyzed for disease associations, for the identification of animals of
interest, or to download with genomic data for comparative analyses. Finally, because the characterized
subjects include living animals, researchers can also identify potential study subjects based upon the presence
or absence of particular genomic variants, clinical data or both. The latter option will provide opportunity to
identify rare animals of research interest, an important goal for NHP model disease development. We expect
that this resource will attract new investigators who wish to leverage the genotype or clinical/phenotype data as
an entree to NHP research, be it at the ONPRC or elsewhere. As a result of this work, we will establish the
first genomically characterized, pedigreed rhesus macaque research colony, develop a sustainable approach
for t...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10213998
- **Project number:** 3R24OD021324-05S1
- **Recipient organization:** OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** BETSY M FERGUSON
- **Activity code:** R24 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $590,112
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2016-07-01 → 2024-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10213998

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10213998, Genomic sequencing to establish a macaque genotype and phenotype research resource (3R24OD021324-05S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10213998. Licensed CC0.

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