# Viral Testing Core

> **NIH NIH U42** · TULANE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA · 2021 · $391,554

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract - Viral Testing Core
Continuous, accurate surveillance for agents of concern is an essential requirement for maintenance of a SPF
breeding colony. In 2009 we transitioned from testing at off-site laboratories to performing all screening assays
at the Tulane National Primate Research Center's (TNPRC) Pathogen Detection and Quantification Core
(PDQC). The PDQC is administratively located in the Division of Microbiology and was established at the TNPRC
in 2004. The primary mission of the PDQC is to provide diagnostic services to the Division of Veterinary Medicine
for establishing and maintaining SPF nonhuman primate colonies. A secondary mission is to provide research
support to investigators. The development of onsite viral testing capabilities has resulted in reduced costs,
eliminated shipping of samples, reduced turnaround time, and provided a platform for easy expansion for
detection of additional agents. Quality assurance of the TNPRC SPF surveillance program is supported by the
participation of the PDQC in proficiency panels testing from the Pathogen Detection Working Group (PDWG), a
subgroup of the Breeding Colony Management Consortium (BCMC) in the NIH Nonhuman Primate Research
Consortium (NHPRC), and from the External Quality Assurance Program Oversight Laboratory (EQAPOL)
Luminex program. This section of the application focuses on the function of the Viral Testing Core, techniques
used for identification and detection of the target viruses, assay performance and validation, and current and
future expansion of testing capabilities.
The Aim of this core is to assure the SPF status of the colony through continued viral testing of existing breeding
colony animals and all offspring. The SPF4 colony will be tested a minimum of twice each year for all four target
viruses: Type D simian retrovirus (SRV), simian T-lymphotropic virus (STLV), simian immunodeficiency virus
(SIV), and herpes B virus (BV) for SPF4. The eSPF colony will be tested at the same frequency for rhesus
rhadinovirus (RRV), simian virus 40 (SV40), simian foamy virus (SFV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), simian varicella
virus (SVV), and lymphocryptovirus (LCV) in addition to the SPF4 agents. Infants derived from SPF4 parents for
inclusion in the eSPF colony will require quarterly testing. Characterization of the colony beyond the targeted
agents supported by the U42 grant will be funded through other sources and require the development and use
of additional assays for other pathogens of potential interest.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10252432
- **Project number:** 2U42OD024282-05
- **Recipient organization:** TULANE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
- **Principal Investigator:** Carolina Allers
- **Activity code:** U42 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $391,554
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2017-07-01 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10252432

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10252432, Viral Testing Core (2U42OD024282-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10252432. Licensed CC0.

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