# Maintenance of the SPF Breeding Colonies at Yerkes National Primate Research Center

> **NIH NIH U42** · EMORY UNIVERSITY · 2023 · $1,531,512

## Abstract

Abstract
The AIDS research portfolio at Yerkes National Primate Research Center (YNPRC) has continued to expand
as demonstrated by a peak growth of approximately $6.5 million dollars (30% increase) in nonhuman primate
(NHP) AIDS research grant funding over the past eight years. This growth in grant funding is accompanied by
a high demand for Indian-origin specific pathogen free (SPF) rhesus macaques as the animal model for this
research. YNPRC has continued to maintain a colony of SPF rhesus macaques to provide these animals for
HIV/AIDS research. This application requests continued support to expand the SPF colony by maximizing
production. The application includes the Overview; Husbandry and Management Core; the Viral Testing Core;
and the MHC Genetic Typing Core (Colony Genetics). This grant will support a subset of the overall YNPRC
SPF colony and will derive program income from animal assignment fees and per diems. YNPRC will provide
institutional support to cover remaining expenses for this colony as well as the remainder of the SPF colony.
Management and Husbandry: To leverage the resources provided by the U42 to maximize production of
Indian-origin rhesus monkeys and facilitate allocation of these animals for NIH-funded HIV/AIDS research
Viral Testing: To provide serological and molecular viral diagnostic testing in support of the SPF colony and to
maintain a colony free of diseases that impact AIDS-related research at the Yerkes NPRC
Colony Genetics: To provide parentage testing, comprehensive analysis of MHC class I and class II alleles,
and to develop new techniques for detailed genetic characterization to support a genetically healthy breeding
colony and provide genetic information on animals essential to the animal assignment process in support of
AIDS research.
Achieving these aims will ensure the Yerkes NPRC SPF breeding program is sustainable, providing the
necessary animals to support the HIV/AIDS research program using Indian-origin rhesus monkeys. The
availability of this critical resource to scientists performing preclinical studies using the rhesus monkey model
will have a positive, significant impact on the development of treatments to prevent or cure infection from HIV
in people.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10559697
- **Project number:** 5U42OD011023-20
- **Recipient organization:** EMORY UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Joyce Kimberly Cohen
- **Activity code:** U42 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $1,531,512
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2002-09-30 → 2026-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10559697

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10559697, Maintenance of the SPF Breeding Colonies at Yerkes National Primate Research Center (5U42OD011023-20). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10559697. Licensed CC0.

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