This is a competing renewal application of a cooperative agreement supporting the Chimpanzee Biomedical Research Resource (CBRR) at the Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research (KCCMR) of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Bastrop, TX. The CBRR is a national research resource of 159 chimpanzees housed within the chimpanzee housing complex of the KCCMR. The CBRR is one of only four research resources in the world capable of conducting biomedical research in this species. Over the past 35 years, the CBRR has developed the highly specialized housing facilities, laboratories, management techniques and staff essential for maintaining chimpanzees and conducting research using this important model. The CBRR's primary objectives continue to focus on colony care and maintenance, provision of the infrastructure needed to conduct studies for investigators who need to access chimpanzees, and conducting studies to enhance the research value of chimpanzees. During the current funding period, we developed an informational website to help scientists assess the suitability of chimpanzees as relevant models for their studies and inform the public of the value of chimpanzees. We plan to continue to make available chimpanzee-derived cell lines, antibodies and other biological materials through the Chimpanzee Experimental Tools and Laboratory Reference Value Registry. The CBRR is organized into three functional cores that include the Resource Management Core, the Behavioral Management Core, and the Resource-related Research Core. Studies supported by the CBRR will continue to emphasize the characterization of the chimpanzee immune system and the numerous collaborative behavioral studies through the Behavioral Management Core. These include studies of the physiologic and immunologic consequences of research manipulations on chimpanzees trained to voluntarily cooperate with research procedures compared to untrained chimpanzees that must be anesthetized. The CBRR will continue to maintain its leadership role in the training of chimpanzees to voluntarily participate in research and clinical manipulations using positive reinforcement techniques. Beginning with this period of support, we plan to categorize all chimpanzees within the CBRR using the G-MARC as described in the RFA-RR-10-008. By expanding and improving the availability of CBRR resources, conducting resource-related research, and containing costs, the CBRR will continue to provide a critically important, highly specialized, research resource that addresses human health needs.
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