Socialization Caging System for TNPRC As one of the 8 National Primate Research Centers funded by the National Institutes of Health, the TNPRC has a mission to support scientists throughout the United States who require the resources necessary to perform research utilizing nonhuman primates. The goal of the breeding colony management program at the Tulane National Primate Research Center (TNPRC) is to provide an ample supply of well-characterized, behaviorally normal, and physically healthy rhesus macaques for biomedical research and teaching. Funding through this G20 will improve the breeding colony management program by significantly expanding social housing options for breeding colony animals. Specifically, funds derived from the award will allow the purchase of unique nonhuman primate socialization caging equipment, which will be utilized in a sheltered outdoor transition facility tat supports nonhuman primates accessed from the breeding colony. A team of engineers and TNPRC staff representing animal care, behavioral management, and veterinary medicine collaborated in the design of the caging system. The caging system has been tested in TNPRC facilities for several years and the design has been improved in each iteration to improve ergonomics, flexibility for social housing of nonhuman primates and functionality. Funding through this G20 mechanism will help the TNPRC enhance both animal welfare and biomedical research. Direct benefits of the socialization caging equipment for the breeding colony and research programs include: 1) Support social housing of nonhuman primates during their transition from the breeding colony to research studies minimizing stress to research subjects. 2) Allow acclimation of animals previously housed for treatment of illness in indoor hospital facilities with heating, ventilation and air conditioning. These animals are housed temporarily in sheltered outdoor transition facilities, prior to their reintroduction to their social groups in te breeding colony. 3) Improve ergonomics and safety for animal care staff. 4) Improve infection control by decreasing cross contamination between animals in adjoining cages 5) Maintain regulatory compliance with regard to the Animal Welfare Act and align with the guidelines promulgated by the most recent edition of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. This proposal is a request for funds to purchase 28 nonhuman primate socialization caging units from an established company with whom we have collaborated with to design, improve, and implement the use of such caging over the past 10 years. The caging will be installed in an existing, sheltered outdoor transition facility.
