Tulane National Primate Research Center

Project Summary – Overall The Tulane National Primate Research Center (TNPRC) is affiliated with Tulane University of Louisiana and was dedicated in 1964. The Center is part of Tulane University Health Sciences along with the School of Medicine, the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and the School of Science and Engineering. The TNPRC is one of seven NIH-supported National Primate Research Centers within the National Primate Research Center Program. This application requests funding for the five-year time-period of May 1, 2023-April 30, 2028. Funds will be used to support administration, operations, animal resources, scientific research resources, a pilot research program, alteration and renovations, outreach, and education and training activities of the Center. The animal resources program is fully accredited by AAALAC with exemplary status. Significant infrastructure projects have been completed including renovation of new laboratory space and completion of the PET/CT facility within the RBL. We have completed a large infrastructure upgrade with upgraded boilers and new and increased capacity chillers, new building automation and access controls and energy efficiency lighting upgrades, as well as upgrades in stormwater and wastewater treatment improvements. The period since the last renewal of the TNPRC base grant has been a time of sustained growth and programmatic change. Total funding for the Center has increased to more than $43.8M in FY2021. The TNPRC is the only NPRC to have a Regional Biosafety Laboratory (BSL-3), which has been a key factor in obtaining funds to support numerous studies utilizing select agents, tuberculosis, and emerging infectious diseases, including a new and expanding program in SARS-CoV-2 research. Our efforts in SARS-CoV-2 have provided leadership within the NPRC system with the development of nonhuman primate models, testing therapeutics and vaccines. In addition, we developed a CoVID-19 Coordinating Center and Data Center supported by NIH, which provides coordinated and collaborative interactions with other NPRCs. The development of our strong Quality Assurance and Quality Control Program and new High Containment Research Performance Core have contributed greatly to our success during this funding period. In the next grant period, we will recruit additional faculty and expand our research efforts into chronic and comorbid conditions associated with infections and aging. We will focus on building onto our current successes with the generation of a new strategic plan that will make TNPRC the best primate center we can be and a premiere place to work for our employees.