# Novel Caging and Equipment to Enhance Social Interaction and Animal Wellbeing in U42 SPF9 Rhesus Macaques.

> **NIH NIH U42** · OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $499,764

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC) Expanded SPF (ESPF) Rhesus Macaque Breeding
Colony is a highly specialized breeding colony that provides unique and essential macaques with an expanded
SPF definition for AIDS research. This colony is critical for AIDS-related opportunistic infection research and
vaccine vector development using opportunistic viral agents as vaccine vectors. In order to provide a sufficient
number of appropriate animals, the breeding colony must produce 30 surplus animals annually. Concurrently, it
is necessary to isolate lymphocryptovirus (LCV) free animals and re-derive LCV-free offspring from LCV
seroconverted females in the colony and recruit additional LCV-free infants from Center's conventional SPF
colony. A critical shortage of appropriate ESPF social housing severely constrain both our efforts to increase
the size of the breeding colony to meet project demand and our endeavors to eliminate LCV from the colony.
The application proposes to purchase novel caging and a tunnel to increase the colonies infrastructure for
housing multiple cage-housed animals in the ESPF barrier housing facility. Enhancing social housing
opportunities will benefit animals with existing behavioral problems, provide better developmental trajectories
for infants recruited to the colony, and promote positive animal welfare and health, all while providing an
avenue for ESPF population expansion to keep pace with demand. The application also proposes to purchase
a storage shed for storing enrichment devices and animals transfer boxes. These items are dedicated for the
exclusive support of ESPF macaques to minimize the risk of inadvertently compromising the animals ESPF
status.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10404873
- **Project number:** 3U42OD023038-06S2
- **Recipient organization:** OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Michael K Axthelm
- **Activity code:** U42 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $499,764
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2016-08-01 → 2024-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10404873

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10404873, Novel Caging and Equipment to Enhance Social Interaction and Animal Wellbeing in U42 SPF9 Rhesus Macaques. (3U42OD023038-06S2). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10404873. Licensed CC0.

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