Proposed Federal Cuts to Animal Testing Spur Scientific Debate
July 30, 2025
The NIH and FDA efforts to shift away from animal testing, promoting “new approach methodologies” (NAMs) like AI, organoids, and organ-on-a-chip systems are not finding unanimous support in the scientific community. The goal is to improve research efficiency, lower costs, and reduce harm to animals. While some scientists support the move as overdue, others warn…
Study: Electrical Brain Stimulation Reduces Damage from Stroke
July 24, 2025
A new study led by researchers at the Washington National Primate Research Center shows that applying electrical stimulation to the brain within an hour of stroke onset may significantly reduce brain damage. The findings, published July 21, 2025, in Nature Communications, advance stroke intervention research and suggest a potential new path for early treatment in…
WaNPRC Research Led to “Game-Changer” HIV Drugs
July 3, 2025
You can trace a direct line between the recent headline-grabbing FDA approval of HIV prevention and treatment drugs to research at the Washington National Primate Research Center (WaNPRC). And the history of WaNPRC’s involvement in fighting the HIV epidemic goes back years. While media coverage of Yeztugo, formally known as lenacapavir or Sunlenca, is understandably…
Infections in Pregnancy May Alter Brain Development
June 18, 2025
Illustration of Influenza A (left) and Zika A new study from researchers at the WaNPRC and Seattle Children’s Hospital offers clues about how viral infections during pregnancy might affect a developing baby’s brain — possibly linking early changes to the development of neurological or psychiatric conditions later in life. Scientists studied the effects of two…
Response Underway Following Groundwater Test Results at Arizona Facility
June 18, 2025
Routine groundwater monitoring of a well at the Washington National Primate Research Centers (WaNPRC) located on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (SRPMIC) land recently identified perchlorate levels that reached the designated threshold for activating the facility’s contingency plan. Perchlorate is a chemical compound that can be both manufactured and naturally occurring. The perchlorate levels…
WaNPRC’s Global Conservation, Education and Outreach Unit Marks 25 Years of Field Training in Tangkoko
June 5, 2025
For over two decades, the annual Field Course in Conservation Biology & Global Health at Tangkoko Nature Reserve, North Sulawesi, Indonesia, has been shaping generations of conservationists. This year, the course marked a significant milestone— its 25th anniversary— reinforcing the importance of long-term collaboration in global conservation efforts. Led by Randy Kyes (research professor in…
Mapping Safer Roads for Nepalese Wildlife
June 4, 2025
Every year, in Nepal’s Banke National Park, hundreds of wild animals are killed trying to cross a single stretch of road. This road, just under 60 miles long, cuts through the heart of the park. From April 2015 to March 2024, scientists including WaNPRC’s Randy Kyes, Unit Chief of the Global Conservation Education and Outreach…
New Clues to COVID in Vulnerable Patients
May 22, 2025
WaNPRC Core Scientist Megan O’Connor just published her latest research in Frontiers in Immunology exploring what happens when there are co-infections of HIV and COVID-19 in rhesus macaques. The implications are important for future Covid treatments for people with weakened immune systems. O’Connor, who is also an Asst. Professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine…
WaNPRC Director Featured for Biomedical Research Awareness Day 4/17
April 8, 2025
Unlocking Prevention: How Vaccine Research in Animals Saves People and Animals. WaNPRC director Dr Deborah Fuller is the featured speaker for Biomedical Research Awareness Day, an annual international outreach program by Americans for Medical Progress. Imagine a world without vaccines. No protection from Polio, no flu shots to prevent seasonal outbreaks, and no defense against…
Dr Duran-Struuck Joins Core Faculty
April 1, 2025
WaNPRC Director Dr. Deborah Fuller today welcomed Dr Raimon Duran-Struuck as a core faculty member of the Washington National Primate Research Center. Dr Duran-Struuck is the Chair and a Professor in the UW Department of Comparative Medicine (DCM). A passionate advocate for research animals, Dr Duran-Struuck says he’s inspired by the professionalism and care of…