? This proposal by the Tulane National Primate Research Center (TNPRC) is a request for funding to initiate a plan to create a National Nonhuman Primate Breeding Colony Resource to be built on the TNPRC campus. Nonhuman primates (NHP) derived from this national resource will be used to accommodate the increasing demand for these animals of six of the eight National Primate Research Centers (NPRC) Nonhuman primates derived from the breeding resource will be used for ongoing NIH funded research and for future biodefense research needs associated with the Regional Centers for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases. Improvements to land currently owned by the TNPRC will include land clearing, utilities, roadways, drainage, security and fencing. Construction of corrals for breeding groups of nonhuman primates will be based on our existing corral design and will be undertaken after the improvement of the property has occurred. In addition to corral housing, buildings will be constructed for staging to expedite movement of animals to and from this facility and the other NPRCs. The expansion of the breeding colony will occur in several phases as additional funding opportunities become available. The award of funding for Phase I will result in a fully functional breeding facility capable of housing up to thirteen corrals of animals once completed. Once all phases are completed, space will be available for a National breeding colony of approximately 8000 NHP (in addition to the nearly 4000 animals in the current breeding facility). ? ?
