? This application requests $4,000,000 to partially support construction of a 29,951 gross square foot addition to the Primate Research Laboratory (PRL) at the University of South Alabama (USA). ? ? This support is needed to help meet a critical need for housing and research space for a national resource of squirrel monkeys (Saimiri spp.) and owl monkeys (Aotus spp.). These generally represent two of the three most commonly used Neotropical (New World) primates in biomedical research. The PRL houses the NCRR-supported (P40 RR01254) Squirrel Monkey Breeding and Research Resource (SMBRR), which is the largest research resource of Neotropical primates in the United States. The SMBRR has been supported by a center grant from the NCRR since 1980. ? ? In September 2001, the program expanded to include a colony of 300 owl monkeys. Squirrel and owl monkeys have been used in many research areas including: pathogenesis of prion diseases, malaria vaccine development, and neuroscience research. They are very difficult to obtain from source countries and their continued availability is uncertain. The SMBRR provides research facilities and expertise to visiting scientists and provides genetically defined, domestically reared animals, tissues, biological fluids, cell lines, and expertise in working with Neotropical primates to NIH grantees at research institutions throughout the United States. Growth of the squirrel monkey resource and the addition of the owl monkey colony have placed a serious strain on the current facilities at USA. Construction of this proposed addition will expand national research capacity by providing badly needed space for these national resources. NCRR has granted a waiver of the matching requirement for this application due to the critical need to expand facilities to better meet the demand for Neotropical primates. The USA is strongly committed to this project and will provide an additional $2,061,150 in order to complete construction of this $6,061,150 project. ? ?
