Innovative nonhuman primate modular infant and adult housing for the ONPRC to increase HIV/AIDS research

NIH RePORTER · NIH · P51 · $493,990 · view on reporter.nih.gov ↗

Abstract

SUMMARY The increased demand for nonhuman primates (NHPs) for biomedical research, driven in part by the extensive use of species such as rhesus macaques for preclinical development of vaccines and therapeutic interventions, including SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, has put increasing strain on associated infrastructure for NHP housing and research. This situation is particularly acute at the Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC) and its sister organization, the OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute (VGTI), both components of their host institution, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). To begin to address this issue, OHSU funded the construction and outfitting of a new NHP housing facility (Surge Building) that provides flex space for ~400 NHPs, and which is slated for occupancy in mid-2022. This additional space will significantly benefit multiple NIH-funded HIV/AIDS research projects by freeing up NHP research space in other buildings that was being used for housing of animals not on research protocols. An important need for the new facility is appropriate innovative, flexible caging that can enhance animal wellbeing through increased opportunity for social housing and enrichment. This contributes to the validity of research results through minimization of stress-related variability as a result of complex and enriched environments that will help reduce stress and the development of abnormal behaviors. A related need is custom-designed caging for NHP newborns and infants, in particular those animals involved in research protocols requiring daily administration of antiretroviral therapy (ART). To this end, this proposal has one specific aim: Acquisition of innovative modular adult and newborn/infant NHP housing to enhance animal management, increase environmental enrichment options, and improve animal wellbeing in support of more robust research findings.

Key facts

NIH application ID
10587483
Project number
3P51OD011092-63S1
Recipient
OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY
Principal Investigator
Peter Gordon Barr-Gillespie
Activity code
P51
Funding institute
NIH
Fiscal year
2022
Award amount
$493,990
Award type
3
Project period
1997-05-01 → 2024-04-30