# HUSBANDRY AND MANAGEMENT

> **NIH NIH U42** · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 2024 · $707,659

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY - CORE 001 HUSBANDRY AND MANAGEMENT
Maintenance of a non-human primate specific pathogen free (SPF) breeding colony requires several factors to
ensure the animals’ physical and behavioral health, breeding production, genetic diversity, and exclusion of
specified pathogens. The pigtailed macaque, M. nemestrina, exhibits certain physical and behavioral
characteristics that pose additional challenges in colony maintenance. M. nemestrina show greater susceptibility
to the pathogenic effects of many microorganisms. Their susceptibility to lentiviruses makes them valuable
animal models for HIV/AIDS research. However, nonhuman primates (NHP) in standard outdoor breeding
colonies are exposed to environmental pathogens, such as Coccidioides posadasii, and M. nemestrina
demonstrate enhanced susceptibility to disease with such exposure. Care must also be taken to prevent M.
nemestrina infants from hypothermia. In contrast to rhesus macaques (M. mulatta) which exhibit seasonal
breeding, infant M. nemestrina are born year-round and must be maintained in a heated environment when
outdoor temperatures are low. Breeding management also differs between M. mulatta and M. nemestrina. M.
mulatta can be bred in large multi-male, multi-female groups in large corrals with minimal infrastructure. In
contrast, M. nemestrina form single male multi-female fission/fusion groups in the wild and attempts to form
multi-male groups result in significant trauma. Even with stable, single-male breeding groups, productivity is
lower for M. nemestrina than for M. mulatta. The Washington National Primate Research Center (WaNPRC) has
over 50 years of breeding experience with M. nemestrina and has the expertise and resources to meet the
challenges breeding this species of macaque presents. With support from this U42 cooperative agreement, we
will maintain and enhance production of a healthy SPF M. nemestrina colony, including maintaining the animals
free of B virus, SIV, SRV, and STLV, along with control of environmental organisms, such as C. posadasii. We
will continue to meet the needs of HIV/AIDS investigators by providing SPF M. nemestrina to investigators in
accordance with NIH-directed priorities.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11008484
- **Project number:** 2U42OD011123-20A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- **Principal Investigator:** CHARLOTTE HOTCHKISS
- **Activity code:** U42 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $707,659
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2002-09-30 → 2028-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11008484

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11008484, HUSBANDRY AND MANAGEMENT (2U42OD011123-20A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11008484. Licensed CC0.

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