The overall goals are (I) to develop and distribute computer programs that will facilitate animal colony management and research, addressing specifically the demographic, genetic, epidemiological and financial problems associated with management of primate colonies; and (II) to serve as a resource and service for determining primate parentage and as a source of typing sera and cells. A package of programs, consisting of three components, will be prepared and documented for implementation at other institutions. Component A, COLONYSIM, is a set of computer simulation programs to be used for predicting the consequences of alternative management strategies. Component B, the Animal Colony Management Package (ACMP), will include the following: programs to determine optimal harvesting strategies; demographic analysis programs; programs to aid in epidemiological monitoring; programs for pedigree construction and analysis; parentage checking programs; and a program to determine the risk of losing genetic variability. Component C, PEDSYS, is a pedigree data base system that will simplify the task of managing colony records and performing simple tabulations. These programs will be used to evaluate the effects of specific management practices on the demographic and genetic structure of captive animal colonies. Of particular concern will be cost effectiveness, avoidance of needless overproduction of animals, and minimization of the risk of inbreeding depression. Data from the rhesus monkey colonies maintained by the Wisconsin Regional Primate Research Center, as well as from other collaborators, will serve as prototypes for the application of the ACMP. The pedigree structure of the Wisconsin rhesus colonies will continue to be ascertained using serological and biochemical markers to verify maternity and establish paternity. This information will be used to monitor the genetic and mating structure of the colonies and also to test the various components of COLONYSIM, the ACMP and PEDSYS.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Center for Research Resources (NCRR)
Type
Resource-Related Research Projects (R24)
Project #
5R24RR002229-04
Application #
3450612
Study Section
(SSS)
Project Start
1984-08-15
Project End
1989-08-14
Budget Start
1987-08-15
Budget End
1988-08-14
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
1987
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
San Antonio
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
78245