# Viral Testing Core

> **NIH OD U42** · TULANE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA · 2026 · $302,946

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT – VIRAL TESTING CORE
Continuous, accurate surveillance for agents of concern is an essential requirement for maintenance of a specific
pathogen-free (SPF) breeding colony. In 2009, we transitioned from testing at off-site laboratories to performing
all screening assays at the Tulane National Primate Research Center’s (TNPRC) Pathogen Detection and
Quantification Core (PDQC). The PDQC is administratively located in the Division of Microbiology and was
established at the TNPRC in 2004. The primary mission of the PDQC is to provide diagnostic services to the
Division of Veterinary Medicine for establishing and maintaining SPF nonhuman primate colonies. A secondary
mission is to provide research support to investigators. The development of onsite viral testing capabilities has
resulted in reduced costs and turnaround times, eliminated shipping of samples, and provided a platform for
easy expansion for detection of additional agents. Quality assurance of the TNPRC SPF surveillance program
is supported by the participation of the PDQC in proficiency panels testing from the Pathogen Detection Working
Group (PDWG) of the NIH Nonhuman Primate Research Consortium (NHPRC) and the External Quality
Assurance Program Oversight Laboratory (EQAPOL) Luminex program. This section of the application focuses
on the function of the Viral Testing Core, techniques used for identification and detection of the target viruses,
assay performance and validation, and current and future expansion of testing capabilities.
The Aim of this core is to assure the SPF status of the colony through continued viral testing of existing breeding
colony animals and all offspring. All animals in the SPF4 colony will be tested a minimum of twice each year for
all four target viruses: Type D simian retrovirus (SRV), simian T-lymphotropic virus (STLV), simian
immunodeficiency virus (SIV), and herpes B virus (BV). Characterization of the colony beyond the targeted
agents supported by the

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11252580
- **Project number:** 5U42OD010568-24
- **Recipient organization:** TULANE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
- **Principal Investigator:** Carolina  Allers
- **Activity code:** U42 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** OD
- **Fiscal year:** 2026
- **Award amount:** $302,946
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2001-08-09T00:00:00 → 2029-01-31T00:00:00

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11252580

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11252580, Viral Testing Core (5U42OD010568-24). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-07-13 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11252580. Licensed CC0.

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