Center News - Washington National Primate Research Center

New Director Outlines Vision for WaNPRC

Dr Deborah Fuller

In a world that is constantly changing, I wanted my first Director’s blog post to serve as a way of addressing change for WaNPRC and the people and primates we serve. I’d like all our readers to know what to expect as WaNPRC embarks on its next chapter.

First, a note of thanks to all past directors of the center. They have led the center as researchers here made multiple discoveries that have had a historic impact on global human health. I’ve had the pleasure of working with several of them, and I’m honored to now take my place at the helm.

Having spent the last 14 years working at the Center and having co-founded a biomedical technology company I bring a combination of science and business savvy to this role. And while I applaud our previous leadership, I have a lofty vision of my own I hope to achieve.

I want to make WaNPRC the top primate research center in the U.S., and the top institute in the world for nonhuman primate research. Sounds ambitious, but I have a six-pronged plan to get us there.

Affirm our identity

Build and expand our identity through interdisciplinary consortia and collaborations

Enhance communications between research units and between researchers & veterinary staff

Implement strategies for long-term sustainability

Support a 3Rs culture: Respect, Restraint, Responsibility

Increase our visibility

I’m not sure people are aware of just how important WaNPRC is to research in gene therapy, infectious disease, neuroscience and global conservation. Just in the last year, we supported 126 grants totaling $118 million in funding. We have more than 150 employees, and we support nearly the same number of collaborating scientists nationwide. And we are the only NPRC that breeds pigtail macaques, the best NHP model for a wide range of vital areas of research that has led to breakthroughs. For example, the pigtail macaque is the closest species to model pregnant women, and research in this model at WaNPRC led to the first insights into how Zika virus and other infectious disease cause fetal injury and is paving the way toward new innovations to protect women from sexually transmitted diseases.

Our research has also revealed new insights into the causes of neurological, genetic, cardiovascular and infectious diseases, and we are turning these discoveries into cures for people living with AIDS, spinal injuries, cancer, color blindness, blood disorders and cardiovascular disease. We are also at the forefront in developing new vaccines and immunotherapies for malaria, HIV, influenza, SARS-CoV-2 and Valley Fever, a fungal disease that is rapidly spreading due to climate change.

Our outstanding animal behaviorists and veterinary teams are critical to the success of this research. Their ability to innovate and refine new techniques has improved our research, animal breeding and care. We are also the only NPRC with a worldwide primate conservation and education program that has gained international recognition for its cutting-edge work in understanding nonhuman primates in the natural habitat and their interface with humans.

I believe that the most innovative ideas occur at the intersection of different disciplines. My aim is to build on our track record and provide our outstanding faculty with new opportunities to collaborate to bridge scientific discipline, combine our research strengths and spur innovation. To that end, I announced last month a $150,000 funding opportunity that will require a collaboration between two or more researchers working in distinct research disciplines. Stay tuned for an announcement about this opportunity in November, concurrent with our annual P51 pilot project initiative.

While this is going on, we’re also already working on a shift in culture that improves collaboration between our researchers and animal care teams to benefit both animals and the research they support. The tight job market has affected WaNPRC the same way it has other industries. You’ll be seeing a more aggressive recruiting campaign and new opportunities for our veterinary teams to lead and collaborate with our researchers in projects aimed at developing novel veterinary procedures and new concepts to enhance our animal behavior, breeding and care,

In the longer term, you’ll see us landing opportunities to improve our financial outlook by seeking partnerships and funding sources that improve revenue and increase efficiency while reducing our costs. Seattle is a growing hub for biotechnology and in parallel, we are expanding our portfolio of translational research studies and capabilities to support a growing need for preclinical research in nonhuman primates that provide a critical bridge to close the gap between biomedical breakthroughs at the bench and human clinical trials. For example, research at our primate center is helping HDT Bio, Orlance, Inc., Sana Biotechnology and Umoja Biopharma advance their novel innovations for new vaccines, stem cell and cancer therapies to human clinical trials.

There’s also something we’re going to stop doing: We’re not going to shrink from the opportunity to tout the successes we have. We’re constantly bombarded by misinformation and lies put out by animal rights extremists. But we’re not going to them tell our story, and we’re not going to let bullying and threats affect our work. So, expect to see more in this spot about the research we do and how we’re improving human health and animal welfare at the same time.

Come visit this site every month. You’re going to hear from me and other leaders at WaNPRC about all these topics as we work to bring to life that ambitious vision.

It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to lead WaNPRC in these efforts. I am looking forward to seeing the progress we make towards these goals.

Increased Support for NHP Neuroscience Research “Critical” to Advance Human Health

Increasing investment and support for neuroscience research involving monkeys is critical to realize our hope for advancing human health and reducing suffering for millions of people confronting diseases like Alzheimer’s, bipolar dis- order, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia. So argues Dr. Michele A. Basso, core scientist in the Neuroscience unit of the Washington National Primate Center.

Portrait of Dr Basso — Dr Michele A. Basso is a core scientist in the Neuroscience Unit of WaNPRC

Basso and partners with the Simian Collective penned an urgent commentary in the Journal of Neuroscience this month, framing the nonhuman primate neuroscience as one of “peril or possibilities.”

In the piece, Basso notes that the cost to the United State to treat neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders at more than $1 trillion annually. And that monkeys will be necessary for the discovery, development, and testing of treatments because monkeys share traits with humans that other testing animals lack.

A big hurdle to progress is a shortage of monkeys for research, highlighted in a 2023 report from the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The shortage, and subsequent high costs, prevents scientists from advancing treatments.

“To ensure a sustainable resource of non- human primates for biomedical research, including and especially in neuroscience, the US must engage in domestic capacity building,” Basso argues.

And while new approach methods are pursued, she writes, “developing treatments and cures for Alzheimer’s disease and related neurodegenerative diseases, and the many neuropsychiatric illnesses, will all ultimately require an understanding of the brains of primates and perhaps the immune system, which, like the brain, is significantly more like humans in monkeys than in rodents.”

Read the full text in the Journal of Neuroscience. Explore the Neuroscience unit at WaNPRC.

WaNPRC’s Dr Kyes Receives ASPs Highest Honor

portrait of Randy, arms crossed in a green shirt. — Dr. Randall Kyes

Dr Randy Kyes, chief of WaNPRC’s Global Conservation, Education and Outreach core has been awarded the 2024 Distinguished Primatologist Award by the American Society of Primatologists (ASP). The award was announced at the 46th annual ASP conference in Mexico.

The Distinguished Primatologist Award recognizes a primatologist who has had an outstanding career and has made significant contributions to the field. It is the highest honor that the Society bestows.

Dr Kyes joins 27 other exceptional primatologists who have won this award since 1989.  He also is now the third University of Washington scientist to receive the honor, along with fellow UW scientists Orville Smith (1996), professor emeritus of Physiology and Biophysics and former Director of the WaNPRC; and Gene Sackett (2004), professor emeritus of Psychology and Core Scientist at WaNPRC.

Four people attach a wildlife camera to a tree. They are all crouching at the trunk of a tree. Dr Kyes is pointing to something out of field. — Dr Kyes is the chief of the Global Conservation, Education and Outreach core at WaNPRC. In this photo from 2019, he works with students in the annual outreach education program at the Tangkoko Nature Reserve in North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

“It’s truly an honor to receive the ASP Distinguished Primatologists Award,” Dr. Kyes said. “ASP holds a special place in my heart.  I have grown up with the ASP. I have served many roles in the Society over the years, and the members are my academic family.  Needless to say, I have great respect for the ASP and all those who have made, and continue to make, this such a special scientific society. 

“I also want to add that although I have been named the 2024 recipient of this award, at the risk of sounding clichéd, I share this award with my many, many colleagues around the world with whom I’ve had the great honor and privilege to collaborate with for the past 35-plus years.  They all deserve special recognition as our work is truly a collaborative effort.  Thank you all.”

Congratulations to Dr Kyes!

You can read more about his and his colleague’s work at Global Conservation, Education & Outreach.

Neuroscience Unit’s New Discoveries: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Brain

WaNPRC’s Neuroscience unit has contributed four noteworthy advances in science in recent months, including a new discovery about color vision, advancements in how primate brains differentiate objects, and even how our brains help us chew and swallow food.

New findings from the lab of Core Scientist Dennis Dacey, PhD, are unraveling the complex circuitry of the human retina, where vision starts. His lab’s results suggest new pathways for color vision and emphasize the need for complete wiring diagrams of the human central nervous system.

Dacey mapped, cell-by-cell, the physical pathway that color signals travel through the retina. Before Dacey’s discovery, it was thought there were two color pathways: a red/green path, and a blue/yellow path. Dacey found that some cells carry both at same time.

“They’re re-writing the book on the retina,” said unit chief Greg Horwitz, PhD, praising Dacey, who is the most senior member of the unit. “The part of the retina that Dennis is focused on is the part that resolves fine details. And it’s the part that fails in macular degeneration. It is usually thought of as a high-resolution version of the rest of the retina, but Dennis’s work is showing it’s actually highly specialized.”

Horwitz himself also recently published a paper with Research Associate Professor Robi Soetedjo, PhD, announcing new findings about how specific cells in the brain control certain eye movements known as saccades

Horwitz and Soetedjo used a laser to stimulate Purkinje cells in the cerebellum of a monkey at the precise moment of saccade. They found that if the monkey looked in one direction, the saccade slowed. If the monkey looked the other direction, saccade went beyond the expected target, showing that they are not just two opposing functions

“It gives us a tool. If it works in eye movements, it might work for studying other cerebellar functions including movements of the arms or body,’ Horwitz said

Their findings were published in the Journal of Neuroscience in February.

Four months later, Anitha Pasupathy, PhD, and her ShapeLAB team published a paper in the same journal, advancing our understanding of how neurons in a primate’s brain process objects that are part of a group.

Pasupathy’s lab showed primates a target image – let’s say a yellow triangle – and compared how neurons in the brain’s visual cortex responded when the triangle was surrounded by similar versus dissimilar objects. From these measurements, they discovered that the brain could differentiate the target object more readily when it stood out from the dissimilar objects.

“What that tells us is the brain has a way of suppressing activity of things that are similar,” Pasupathy said. “For efficiency, the brain may pool similar objects and encode them together. But that center yellow triangle is special when it’s surrounded by dissimilar objects, and maybe it’s something of interest to the visual system.”

She said the next step will be tests to see if monkeys can pick out objects they see, and whether that corresponds to what neurons are telling the researchers.

Fritzie Arce-McShane, PhD, published a paper in Nature Communications (and recent pre-preprints here and one on age-related changes here) furthering our understanding of how the brain drives the muscles involved in chewing and swallowing in ways that could lead to new interventions that could help patients having trouble with these vital functions due to aging or brain disease, such as Alzheimer’s Disease.

“How the brain controls chewing and swallowing is very much understudied and the big challenge in studying this is tracking the position and shape of the tongue inside the mouth when we chew and swallow,” Arce-McShane said.

Using a combination of x-ray technology with sensors and machine learning-based analyses of brain signals, her studies have shown that when primates eat, there is robust information in the primary motor cortex and the somatosensory cortex that define the 3D direction of tongue movements, and also the tongue shape. “That hasn’t been shown before. The tongue’s shape has importance in positioning the food and preparing it for swallowing,” she said. Changes in the pattern of tongue movements have been observed with aging and Arce-McShane expects that these changes will also be reflected in the brain signals.

The Neuroscience unit at WaNPRC is dedicated to supporting state-of-the-art research in nonhuman primates both inside and outside the WaNPRC. Nonhuman primates have and continue to play a critical role in advancing our understanding of how the human brain works due to their close similarities in structure, physiology, and genetics to humans. Using nonhuman primates, the Neuroscience Unit at WaNPRC is at the cutting edge of advancing our understanding of the function of the human brain and developing new treatments for a wide range of neurological disfunctions. You can find more information on the Neurosciences Unit and the exciting research of its 23 core and affiliate faculty here.

Personal Legacy Meets Medical Breakthrough: WaNPRC Research Offers Hope for Heart Disease Patients

WaNPRC researchers have made a promising discovery in the fight against heart disease. Cardiologist and researcher Dr. Chuck Murry of WaNPRC’s Gene Therapy and Regenerative Medicine unit is leading an effort using special cells called heart muscle cardiomyocytes to address cardiac muscle damage.

Photo of Charles Murry, MD, PhD — Photo/Gavin Sisk, University of Washington

Dr Murry’s team has made a significant breakthrough in collaboration with Sana Biotechnology. They successfully changed induced pluripotent stem cell cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CM) in the lab and transplanted or “grafted” them into two rhesus monkeys with heart damage. These new cells survived and started integrating with the heart muscle cells responsible for contracting and pumping blood. This is a big deal because it means the body did not reject the new cells, which is a frequent problem with transplants.

This pursuit has been a personal one for Murry. His mother, Donna, passed away in 2014 after suffering multiple heart attacks. “She is the kind of person we would like to have helped,” he told the Seattle Times in 2014.

Another challenge with using these new heart cells is that they sometimes cause irregular heartbeats. The team has also found a way to fix this problem by making changes to the genetic makeup of the cells. Noninvasive PET imaging has shown that the transplanted iPSC-CMs remained stable and functional in the heart for periods of 6 and 12 months without suppressing the immune system. This persistence without rejection indicates that the cells integrated well with the heart tissue and continued to perform their intended functions over these extended periods.

These findings mark a significant step forward in the treatment of heart disease and bring hope to millions of patients. While human trials are still to come, this research lays the groundwork for a future where damaged hearts can be effectively repaired.

Dr Murry recently began his appointment as head of USC’s Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine.

First Authors: Yongshun Lin Noriko Sato, Sogun Hong, and Kenta Nakamura. Senior Authors: Charles Murry (pictured), Manfred Boehm, and Cynthia Dunbar. 

Cell Stem Cell | DOI: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38843830/

WaNPRC’s Orsborn Adds NSF CAREER Award to Study Neural Interfaces

Amy Orsborn, Neuro core scientist at WaNPRC and Clare Boothe Luce Assistant Professor in Electrical & Computer Engineering and Bioengineering at the UW, was recently named a recipient of the prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER award. The award will support Orsborn’s research investigating how the brain and nervous system respond to using sensorimotor neural interfaces, which show promise for treating a wide range of neurological conditions, such as paralysis caused by spinal cord injury or stroke.

Orsborn’s work will help to lay a foundation for creating advanced computer algorithms in sensorimotor neural interfaces that can better adapt to the user. Her research is inspired by a fundamental challenge in neural engineering, where neural interfaces engage with the brain and nervous system in what is called a “closed loop” in which the user and the device influence each other. This closed loop has enormous therapeutic potential. Her aoLab will conduct experiments using two different types of neural interfaces: muscle/nervous system interfaces applied to humans on the surface of the skin, and brain-computer interfaces applied to the sensorimotor cortex of non-human primates. Comparing the results could help the team understand how the brain performs computations and how closed loop devices influence them.

The NSF selects award recipients who are faculty members at the beginning of their careers to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization. The intent of the NSF CAREER program is to provide stable support, enabling awardees to develop not only as outstanding researchers but also as educators demonstrating commitment to teaching, learning and dissemination of knowledge.

Orsborn has been racking up accolades. She recently received the Ronald S. Howell distinguished faculty fellowship. The Electrical & Computer Engineering department has more on the story.

Exciting Collaborations

Ongoing studies with Umoja Biopharma, HDT Bio, and the Allen Institute

Nonhuman primate studies are crucial in biomedical research, particularly developing new therapies. The pigtail macaque monkeys at the Washington National Primate Research Center share a closer genetic and physiological resemblance to humans than other animal models. This similarity allows researchers to predict better how a therapy might behave in humans, offering valuable insights into potential efficacy and safety.

Such is the case with Umoja Biopharma’s VivoVec platform for chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy. In this in vivo study, the researchers observed the activation and expansion of CAR-T cells in the monkeys and their impact on target cells. The researchers, supported by the animal care and research staff at WaNPRC, compared the CAR-T cell expansion and persistence in monkeys with data from previous studies on ex vivo CAR-T therapies in similar primate models. This provided valuable insights into the platform’s potential advantages.

Overall, this public/private partnership is a critical bridge between preclinical research and clinical translation, providing essential data on the safety, efficacy, and feasibility of new therapies like Umoja’s VivoVec platform for CAR-T cell therapy.

A separate project led by HDT Bio Formulations Director, Dr. Amit Khandar, aims to assess the effectiveness of their LION™ delivery technology and self-replicating RNA (repRNA) vaccine platform against HIV-1. The focus is on inducing broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs), crucial for targeting the heavily masked envelope glycoprotein of the virus. In the R33 phase, the collaboration with UW’s Fuller Laboratory and the WaNPRC will evaluate immunogenicity and efficacy in nonhuman primates (NHPs), pivotal steps before potential clinical trials. This phase will provide essential data on protection against a SHIV challenge and guide decisions regarding human trials. Safety assessments, especially concerning mRNA-based vaccines, are emphasized, drawing from mouse models and NHPs to address concerns ensuring confidence in the vaccine’s safety profile. The ultimate goal is to advance toward clinical trials, leveraging promising results from NHP studies to inform future steps in vaccine development.

“Ultimately, it might be that a combination of nucleic acid platforms will be needed to achieve the “holy grail” that is efficacy in humans. The combination of safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy in nonhuman primates will support the decision to enter clinical trials. If the data is promising, we have the manufacturing infrastructure to work with existing HIV clinical trial networks and enter phase I evaluation. – Dr. Amit Khandhar, HDT Bio

Scientists at the Allen Institute celebrate their global collaboration in mapping the hundreds of billions of cells in rodents, macaque monkeys, and human brains. They are mapping them by their type and function as part of the BRAIN Initiative® Cell Atlas Network, or BICAN, with financial support from NIH’s B.R.A.I.N. Initiative, or Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies® Initiative.

The WaNPRC, by providing the Allen Institute’s NHP models, is helping to bridge the knowledge gap between rodent models and humans.

“The Allen Institute has made amazing progress characterizing the cell types that compose the mouse brain and connections among them. Extending these efforts to primates is a critical next step on the way to clinical application. This is being achieved via the symbiotic relationship they have with the WaNPRC.” – Dr. Gregory Horwitz, WaNPRC Neuroscience unit chief

This brain atlas lays the groundwork for mapping the entire mammalian brain and enhancing comprehension of puzzling brain disorders, such as those affecting the neurons responsible for motor function, like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Highlights from the Himalayas

Dr Randy Kyes, chief of the Global Conservation, Education & Outreach unit at the WaNPRC, and his Nepali colleagues wrapped up their 21st year of field training in Kathmandu, Nepal, before gaining some altitude in their annual climb up to their field sites in Langtang National Park. This was a return the site of a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake and resulting landslide in April of 2015.

Kyes and his Nepali colleagues highlighted their dedication and collaboration over the past two decades in a two-day photo exhibit titled “Langtang Through the Lens of Field Researchers.” The event was hosted at the Central Library of Tribhuvan University (TU) and sponsored jointly by the library itself, and the university’s Department of Library and Information Science, along with the Central Department of Zoology.

The exhibition provided a visual journey into the heart of the Himalayas and served as a celebration of over two decades of partnership and collaborative research, training, and outreach in the Langtang region.

At the heart of this celebration were the tireless efforts of dedicated field researchers, including long-time collaborators like Prof. Mukesh Chalise and past students turned colleagues, Dr. Narayan Koju and Dr. Laxman Khanal. In a moving speech at the opening of the event, Kyes also expressed his gratitude to the local residents of Langtang for their years of support noting that this exhibition is dedicated to their dear friends who were lost in the terrible 2015 earthquake and landslide.

Supported in part by OEI, USA, the exhibition not only showcased the beauty of Langtang, but also underscored the importance of these photographs as valuable sources of information for future research endeavors. It served as a reminder of the enduring impact of collaborative efforts in preserving and understanding our natural world.

Collaborating faculty wearing Nepalese khata ceremonial scarves, from left to right: Professor Laxman Khanal, Professor Mukesh Chalise, Professor Randy Kyes, Assistant Professor Narayan Koju — L to R: Associate Professor Laxman Khanal and Professor Mukesh Chalise (Tribhuvan University), Professor Randy Kyes (University of Washington), Assistant Professor Narayan Koju (Nepal Engineering College, Pokhara University)

This collaboration started in 2000 when I first visited Nepal and met with Mukesh Chalise, who became my long-time colleague. Two of our past field course students now colleagues, Laxman Khanal and Narayan Koju, are continuing this long collaboration – leading the way into the future.

Randall C. Kyes, PhDGlobal Conservation, Education & Outreach unit chief

Updates from the Field: Southeast Asia

Friday, February 2, 2024:

Midway through a thrilling three-week macaque distribution survey in Sumatra, spearheaded by Dr. Entang Iskandar from the Primate Research Center (PSSP) at IPB Bogor University, Randy’s journey took an exciting turn. Navigating through the verdant landscapes of the Aceh province, they stumbled upon two substantial groups of macaques, featuring both pig-tailed macaques (Mn) and long-tailed macaques (Mf), congregating along the roadside.

“It has been a pleasure to assist my long-time colleague Dr. Entang Iskandar (Project Leader) with this collaborative effort between PSSP-IPB and WaNPRC.” -Dr. Randy Kyes

A spectacle unfolded before them as they keenly observed instances of interspecific grooming and an unusual closeness between members of both species. The dynamic interaction between the macaque species provided valuable insights into their social behaviors, adding depth to the understanding of their intricate relationships. Photo: Randall C. Kyes

It is a real pleasure to be assisting my long-time colleague Dr. Entang Iskandar who is leading this important study. I’ve worked closely with Entang and PSSP-IPB for over 30 consecutive years and I believe this project represents truly foundational work – helping to fill in the gaps regarding macaque distribution and target locations for in-depth population surveys.
Dr. Randy KyesGlobal Conservation, Education and Outreach unit chief

Saturday, January 27, 2024:

On the fifth day of their collaborative three-week distribution survey in Sumatra, Dr. Entang Iskandar and Randy continued north as they delved into the northern half of the island for Phase 2. Their expedition led them to Taman Kera, Sumatra Utara, where they encountered sizable Mn and Mf macaque groups.

Capturing a defining moment, Randy’s lens focused on an adult male pigtailed macaque. The collective efforts of experts from IPB’s Primate Research Center and WaNPRC’s Global Conservation and Educational Outreach (GCEO) unit continue to unravel the mysteries of macaque distribution and behavior, highlighting the importance of collaborative research in conservation. Photo: Randall C. Kyes

Wednesday, January 24, 2024:

Dr. Kyes expresses his pleasure at returning to Indonesia, once again joining forces with Dr. Entang Iskandar for the second phase of their macaque distribution survey. The collaborative spirit is resonating as they work towards unraveling the nuances of macaque populations of pig-tailed and long-tailed macaques in Sumatra.

Long-tailed macaque sits in tree — A highlight of their venture is an encounter with an adult male long-tailed macaque, captured in a moment of grace. The collective efforts and camaraderie between research partners contribute significantly to their shared goal of understanding and conserving the biodiversity of Sumatra. Photo: Randall C. Kyes

Monday, December 25, 2023:

Baby rhesus monkey on tree branch — As the curtain falls on the 2023 field season at Wat Phrabuddhabat Pa Reau in Chiang Rai, Thailand, a heartwarming scene unfolds – an infant rhesus macaque preparing for a daring leap. This memorable moment serves as a fitting conclusion to a season of discoveries and underscores our commitment to exploring human-primate conflict and coexistence. Photo: Randall C. Kyes

Looking forward to 2024, Randy and research scientist Dr. Pensri (“Elle”) Kyes, along with partners at Mahasarakham University and Mae Fah Luang University promise to delve deeper into the intricate dynamics of the relationship between humans and wild monkeys. The journey continues, and their shared dedication to bridging the gap between humans and primates propels them into the new year with enthusiasm and determination.

Fact Sheet: The Crucial Role of Pig-Tailed Macaque Monkeys in Health Discovery and Disease Treatment

Key Details: Pig-Tailed Macaque Monkeys

Species: Macaca nemestrina

Other common names: southern pigtail macaque, Sundaland pig-tailed macaque or Sunda pig-tailed macaque.

Geographic locations of wild populations: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand.

Import status: All pigtails at the Washington National Primate Research Center are purpose-bred for research.

Conditions negatively impacting wild pig-tailed macaque populations: Human encroachment into natural habitats, climate change, pollution, oil and gas production, human recreational activities, hunting and trapping.

Source of pig-tailed macaques studied at the University of Washington: All pig-tailed macaque monkeys involved in research at the University of Washington were bred expressly for involvement in health research.

Diseases and Disorders That Require the Study of Pig-Tailed Macaque Monkeys

Women’s Health – Like humans, pig-tailed macaques experience menopause, menstrual cycles and give birth throughout the entire calendar year. We also share similar reproductive anatomy making these animals an important model to combat illnesses, such as chlamydia, that impact women around the globe.
Health Issues Associated with Premature Birth – Research in pig-tailed macaques helps researchers understand and counteract premature birth and neonatal hypoxia. Neonatal hypoxia, the tragic result of oxygen deprivation shortly before or after birth, affects roughly 2-3 out of 1,000 live human births in the U.S. each year.
Zika Virus Research – The study of Zika virus transmission during pregnancy occurs in pig-tailed macaques because their immune system is similar to humans.
HIV/AIDS Research – HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, impacts the brains of both humans and pig-tailed macaques in a similar way. People with HIV are living longer, healthier lives thanks to past research in pig-tailed macaques.
Valley Fever Research – Like humans, pig-tailed macaques are uniquely susceptible to Valley fever, a disease caused by inhaling a soil-dwelling fungus. This means these animals play a crucial role in the fight against Valley Fever, a growing health threat exacerbated by increasing global temperatures.
Aging and Social Behavior Research – There is growing evidence that pig-tailed macaques are a highly valuable research model for the study of aging and certain social behaviors where animal/human parallels exist.

Generated in collaboration with Americans for Medical Progress