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About the Team

Since its inception in 1961, the Washington National Primate Research Center (WaNPRC) has continued to fulfill its National Institutes of Health (NIH) charter to serve as a resource for outstanding biomedical research using nonhuman primate models. The WaNPRC remains a vibrant, highly productive research institution within the University of Washington, providing a wide variety of primate-related resources to a broad research community.

The WaNPRC continues to support an impressive portfolio of research projects involving both Core and Affiliate staff researchers. The WaNPRC has a group of 18 Core scientists and more than 35 Affiliate Staff scientists, with total leveraged grant support exceeding $200 million, demonstrating a very effective fulfillment of the NIH Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP) mission for each of the seven National Primate Research Centers to be a central focus for a diverse research program.

The WaNPRC is tightly-integrated into the University of Washington’s biomedical research program and is headquartered within the Warren G. Magnuson Health Sciences Center on the Seattle campus of the University of Washington. This close proximity provides efficient access to WaNPRC resources for implementation of primate research protocols.

The mission of the WaNPRC acknowledges and incorporates ORIP’s vision to empower and expand existing programs and develop new initiatives to support NIH research at the forefront of scientific progress. The WaNPRC mission statement reads, “Empowering the delivery of leading edge scientific discoveries to improve human health while promoting the highest standards of care, health, well-being and conservation for primates around the world.

To meet this mission, the Center supports biomedical research activities, professional research staff, specifically bred and maintained nonhuman primate colonies, and dedicated infrastructure, facilities and equipment required for nonhuman primate research.

The administration of this complex organization resides within the WaNPRC Director’s office, which oversees the strategic planning and daily operations through the following divisions:

  • Animal Resources Division
  • Business Operations & Services
  • Research Administration
  • Scientific Research Cores and Core Services
  • Technology Innovation

The Director’s Office

  • Administration of financial operations
  • Insure compliance with the University of Washington, State of Washington, National Institutes of Health/ORIP – DPCPSI, and regulatory agencies
  • Preparation of grant and contract applications
  • Administration of Center and national review committees

The Director’s Office includes the following programs:

  • Animal Resources Division
  • Business Operations and Services
  • Communications and Outreach
  • Research Administration
  • Scientific Divisions
  • Technology Innovation

Reach the Director’s Office at wanprcdo@uw.edu.


Core Scientists

Name WaNPRC Unit Position UW Department(s)
Deborah Fuller Infectious Disease & Translational Medicine, Virology and Immunology Core Center Director (Interim), Core Scientist Department of Microbiology
Kristina Adams Waldorf Infectious Disease & Translational Medicine; Focus area: Reproductive and Fetal Health Associate Director for Research (Interim), Core Scientist Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Michele A. Basso Neuroscience Core Scientist Departments of Biological Structure and Physiology & Biophysics
Beth Buffalo Neuroscience Core Scientist Department of Physiology & Biophysics
Dennis M. Dacey Neuroscience Core Scientist Department of Biological Structure
Cynthia Derdeyn Infectious Disease & Translational Medicine Core Scientist Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology
Michael Gale, Jr. Infectious Disease & Translational Medicine; HTMPC, CDAC, Seattle Genomics Chief - Core Scientist Department of Immunology
Department of Microbiology & Global Health
CIIID
CERID
Gregory D. Horwitz Neuroscience Chief - Core Scientist Department of Physiology and Biophysics
Hans-Peter Kiem Gene Therapy and Regenerative Medicine Chief - Core Scientist Department of Medicine: Oncology and Pathology
Charles E. "Chuck" Murry Gene Therapy and Regenerative Medicine Core Scientist Department of Medicine: Cardiology
Laboratory Medicine and Pathology
Bioengineering

André Lieber Gene Therapy and Regenerative Medicine Core Scientist Department of Medicine:
Medical Genetics
Pathology
Sean Murphy Infectious Disease & Translational Medicine Core Scientist Departments of Lab Medicine
Department of Microbiology
CERID
Megan O’Connor Infectious Disease & Translational Medicine Core Scientist Department of Microbiology
Randall C. Kyes Global Conservation, Education & Outreach Chief - Core Scientist Departments of Psychology, Global Health, and Anthropology
Amy Orsborn Neuroscience Core Scientist Department of Electrical Engineering
Department of Bioengineering
Anitha Pasupathy Neuroscience Core Scientist Department of Biological Structure
Steve Perlmutter Neuroscience; Instrumentation Services Core Scientist Department of Physiology and Biophysics
Azadeh Yazdan-Shahmorad Neuroscience Core Scientist Department of Electrical Engineering
Department of Bioengineering