# A New Biomedical Research Vivarium at a Hispanic-Serving Institution on the US-Mexico Border

> **NIH NIH C06** · NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY LAS CRUCES · 2022 · $7,084,640

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Animal-based biomedical research is a critical contributor to human health and economic well-being in the
United States. The importance of animal-based biomedical research has never been more apparent than
during the current COVID19 pandemic. Work with animal models has been essential for understanding
disease progression, improving patient care, designing and testing vaccines and uncovering the origins of
this deadly disease. The current pandemic has also unmasked the grave health disparities that exist in our
nation. The disproportionate impact of COVID19 on African-American, Hispanic and Native American
populations has highlighted a fundamental gap in our knowledge of how minority populations differ from
majority populations in susceptibility, symptomology, and response to treatments for diseases. This
knowledge gap extends beyond COVID 19 to encompass virtually all health and behavioral issues. One
important solution for addressing this gap is to increase the scope of research, and research training, in
communities with larger minority populations. New Mexico State University (NMSU) is a Hispanic-serving
Institution of Emerging Excellence located on the southern border of the United States, an area of high racial,
cultural and economic diversity. This project would fund construction of new wild animal vivarium, aviary and
insectary at NMSU that would enhance biomedical research and training for these diverse populations. This
new building would house both wild animal disease models such as rodents, bats and birds and invertebrate
disease vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks, and bedbugs. The building will also include behavioral observation
and procedural rooms, analytical and physiology testing labs, a microscopy room and support space. This
new building will adjoin and complement a new lab animal vivarium already under construction with state
bond funding that includes housing for lab animal models, behavioral and procedure rooms, diagnostic and
analytical labs, a large surgery suite and support space. The combined complex, called the Biomedical
Research Facility, will replace and greatly expand upon the existing aging campus vivarium, and will bring
together in one facility work on invertebrate models that is currently spread across campus. The Biomedical
Research Facility will support NMSU’s biomedical research strengths in emerging infectious diseases, aging,
cancer and health disparities in underserved populations, enhance training of students from underrepresented
populations, and promote research addressing the health of border communities and minority populations in
New Mexico and the region.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10597422
- **Project number:** 1C06OD032035-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY LAS CRUCES
- **Principal Investigator:** TIMOTHY F WRIGHT
- **Activity code:** C06 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $7,084,640
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-09-19 → 2027-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10597422

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10597422, A New Biomedical Research Vivarium at a Hispanic-Serving Institution on the US-Mexico Border (1C06OD032035-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10597422. Licensed CC0.

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