The objectives of the contract continue to be as originally negotiated and as they were during the first year of the contract under the previous Project Officer, Dr. Amos Palmer. SEMA. Inc., provides animal care and housing and veterinary medical care for a colony of 100 cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) and 185 patas (Erythrocebus patas) monkeys, including a breeding colony of patas monkeys. These animals are enrolled in successive research protocols in transplacental chemical carcinogenesis and tumor promotion, that originate from the intramural research program of the Laboratory of Comparative Carcinogenesis, DCE, NCI, and are approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee of the Division before transmission to SEMA for implementation. The contractor provides technical support for these projects, including the administration of test substances by injection, the drawing of blood samples, daily observation of the animals, periodic weighing, physical examination, and preventive health measures such as TB testing. The contractor maintains AALAC accreditation and employs an experienced primate veterinarian as supervisor of the colony, to provide veterinary care, perform any necessary experimental surgery, supervise technical and animal care employees, and insure that the facility is operated and animals are handled and treated in compliance with the NIH Guide for Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. The ultimate objective of the colony is to provide research results on the mechanisms of action on chemical carcinogens in nonhuman primates that are suitable for inclusion in manuscripts for publication in primary cancer research journals.
