SPF 4 Rhesus Macaque Breeding Colony for AIDS Research

PROJECT SUMMARY A safe, effective vaccine continues to be the best hope for controlling the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) pandemic. Due to similarities between the Indian-origin rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) and human immune systems, vaccine development, as well as other approaches for controlling AIDS, are heavily dependent upon the SIV and SHIV macaque models. There is a continuing need for Indian-origin rhesus macaques to support this work. Domestic breeding programs that are designed to efficiently produce well characterized Indian-origin rhesus macaques are necessary to ensure the supply of biomedical research subjects required for AIDS vaccine development and treatments, and pathogenesis studies. There is high demand for SPF macaques on a national level which cannot be met by current NPRC breeding operations. In 2018, the NIH sponsored the NHP Evaluation and Analysis Project which generated data related to NHP use in research and included convening an Expert Panel Forum. Key recommendations from that project included improving infrastructure and providing support for SPF NHP breeding colony expansion. In 2023 the NASEM report reaffirmed the need for NHP to promote advancement in critical areas of biomedical research and the need for further investment in NHP resources. The objective of this proposal is to continue current efforts to maintain and expand the genetically characterized, MHC-defined SPF Indian-origin rhesus macaque AIDS Research Colony resource that was established in 2001 at the Oregon National Primate Research Center.