Jeffrey S Flier - US grants

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This renewal application requests five years of funding for the continuation of the NENPRC's multidisciplinary biomedical research and resource program. The investigators will continue to pursue the National Institutes of Health (NIH) directed mission of utilizing the unique characteristics of nonhuman primates (NHPs) to conduct meritorious research that contributes to the understanding and solution of human health diseases. To further this objective, the emphasis of the application is to provide support for seven science cores (Behavioral Biology, Comparative Pathology, Immunology, Microbiology, Neurochemistry, Primate Resources, and Tumor Virology); to conduct pilot research; and provide Center-wide support services with emphasis on the pathogenesis of infectious diseases, treatment and prophylaxis of AIDS, basic immunology, ongenicity of herpesvirus, neurodegenerative diseases, and drug addiction. Additionally, this proposal seeks to: 1) enhance the Center's ability to serve as a regional, national, and international resource for collaborative, affiliate, and visiting scientists by providing specialized facilities, equipment, and technological expertise; 2) enhance the availability of NHPs for use in biomedical research; 3) train young investigators; and 4) provide the administrative, scientific, and primate resources infrastructure necessary to maintain and operate a Center. Four colony health-related resource projects are also included in this application as well as a five year Improvement and Modernization Program. The NENPRC, HMS, is fully accredited by the American Association for the Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) International.

This renewal application requests five years of funding for continuation of the multidisciplinary biomedical research and resource program at the New England Primate Research Center (NEPRC). Detailed plans are presented for the support of meritorious research which will contribute to the understanding and solution of human health problems using nonhuman primates, as mandated by NIH. We describe the research programs, collaborative activities, core services, and pilot research programs within seven scientific units at NEPRC: Behavioral Biology, Comparative Pathology, Immunology, Microbiology, Neurochemistry, Primate Resources, and Tumor Virology. The research activities and core services within these seven units are intently focused on major public health challenges, principally AIDS treatment and prevention, viral-induced cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and drug addiction. The nature of the research program is fundamentally basic in some cases, applied in others. The research programs and support services are also highly collaborative in nature, usually involving contributions from multiple scientific units from within and outside NEPRC. The core and service activities funded by NEPRC's base grant are currently supporting $10.1 million in NIH-funded research to intramural NEPRC investigators and $268 million in NIH-funded research to extramural nonNEPRC investigators. Additionally, this proposal seeks to (1) enhance the Center's ability to serve as a regional, national and international resource for collaborative, affiliated and visiting scientists by providing specialized facilities, equipment and technological expertise, (2) enhance the availability of non-human primates for use in biomedical research, (3) train young investigators, and (4) provide the administrative, scientific and primate resources infrastructure necessary to maintain and operate a Center. Also included in this application is a five year Modernization Program. The New England Primate Research Center, Harvard Medical School, is fully accredited by AAALAC International.

AIDS; Acquired Immune Deficiency; Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome; Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; CRISP; Computer Retrieval of Information on Scientific Projects Database; Funding; Grant; Immunologic Deficiency Syndrome, Acquired; Institution; Investigators; Mammals, Primates; NIH; National Institutes of Health; National Institutes of Health (U.S.); New England; Northeastern United States; Primates; Research; Research Personnel; Research Resources; Researchers; Resources; Security; Source; United States National Institutes of Health; base; cost; research facility

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The New England Primate Research Center (NEPRC) is one of eight National Primate Research Centers and has a long and productive history of biomedical research utilizing a variety of nonhuman primate-based model systems. The Center maintains both animal biolevel two (ABL2) and animal biolevel three (ABL3) core facilities and breeds specific pathogen free (SPF) rhesus macaques in support of this highly successful biomedical research program. As part of its mission, the NEPRC serves as a resource not only to core staff scientists located at the Center but also to scientists from across the country. There are currently 53 core and collaborative scientists with PHS-funded independent research grants that are assigned and house animals in the NEPRC facilities. These investigators represent 19 different nonprofit academic research organizations and receive funding from 13 categorical institutes within the NIH extramural system. In 2009, an additional 499 investigators benefited from the NEPRC facilities through other collaborative studies or access to blood, tissues or other biological resources. Harvard Medical School (HMS) recognizes this national resource mission and has supported the NEPRC through a number of major initiatives designed to improve and expand primate-related housing and laboratory infrastructure. Despite these improvements, the facilities are inadequate to support the current demand for animals and such specialized resources. This application requests funds to purchase a cage washer and caging to outfit a 18,700 gross square foot (gsf) primate housing facility currently under construction. The project makes extensive use of green technology to reduce ongoing utility and operating expenses and architectural features to enhance environmental enrichment of nonhuman primates. The overall goal of this proposal is to expand primate experimental housing and improve existing infrastructure in order to support a diverse biomedical research program. The project will directly benefit the national resource mission of the NEPRC and promote the availability and efficient utilization of resources by investigators conducting NIH-funded biomedical research.