The expansion of the research program at the Tulane National Primate Research Center (TNPRC) has placed increasing pressure on Center resources. The increased demand on resources has been most notable in the AIDS and other infectious disease research programs. BSL2 and BSL3 nonhuman primate animal housing space is in short supply. In the most serious cases, NIH funded investigators have had to wait up to 8.5 months for assignment of appropriate housing space for performing studies. The TNPRC has successfully competed for renovation and construction funds, which will add a total of 1040 BSL2 and BSL3 cages (net caging capacity for 832 animals) and increase indoor square footage by over 60%. The limit on the amount of funding available through the original construction grants and the substantial increases in construction costs post Hurricane Katrina did not allow budgeting funds to purchase caging. Financial support provided through this application will be a part of the patchwork of funding sources that will be used to meet the growing demands of our infrastructure. This G20 will specifically allow the purchase of nonhuman primate caging which will be used to equip BSL2 and BSL3 housing space in three new facilities currently under construction Quarantine (Building 19), Regional Biosafety Laboratory (Building 20) and Building 21. The additional caging will decrease the delay related to assignment of BSL2 and BSL3 animal housing space and expedite the initiation of funded research programs directed at meeting national goals. ? ? ?
