Center News - Washington National Primate Research Center

Orsborn Awarded the Washington Research Foundation’s Ronald S. Howell Distinguished Faculty Fellowship

Already holding the esteemed title of Clare Boothe Luce Assistant Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Dr. Amy Orsborn, Neuro core scientist at WaNPRC, was among three University of Washington (UW) faculty selected to comprise this inaugural cohort by the Washington Research Foundation (WRF). The UW Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering describes the fellowships as, “…honoring those who have research emphasis in neuroscience fields, a record of demonstrating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and the capacity to bridge disciplines and domains.”

Amy’s work is groundbreaking, merging her computational expertise with innovative approaches in experimental systems neuroscience. The result? Fresh, fundamental insights into how neural circuits master the art of learning. Her mission? To shed light on the intricate mechanisms behind learning within expansive brain networks, all with the ultimate aim of enhancing our ability to manipulate cortical dynamics for treating neural injuries and disorders. Learn more about the Fellowship and the other recipients, Drs. Gabe Cler and Sam Golden, within the Office of Research’s announcement, “Three Faculty Chosen for the Washington Research Foundation Ronald S. Howell Distinguished Faculty Fellowship.”

A big thanks to the Washington Research Foundation @wrfseattle for their support! It’s a huge honor to receive an award focused on things I value so much: interdisciplinary research & teaching/outreach to make science a more inclusive and equitable place.

Amy Orsborn, PhD@neuroamyo

Beyond her research and teaching, Amy is deeply involved in the Women in Science and Engineering program. She’s also the co-founder of the Women in Neural Engineering group, dedicated to advancing the careers of women in the field. Her commitment to diversity and equity in science and engineering is crystal clear.

Dr. Michael Gale, Jr. awarded $8.5M P01 Grant for HIV Vaccine Research

The goal of this project is to define the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which IL-15 programs protective immunity with the RhCMV-SIV vaccine to inform our understanding of HCMV-HIV vaccine immunity against HIV.

The world is in need of an effective HIV/AIDS vaccine, and the cytomegalovirus (CMV) vector-based HIV/SIV vaccine featured in our studies is highly efficacious and durable to uniquely mediate viral “replication arrest” efficacy in the Rhesus Macaque-SIV model. Vaccine immunity is mediated by unconventional MHC-E-restricted CD8+ T cell responses and induction of IL-15, which correlate with vaccine protection. The work proposed in this application will reveal the molecular mechanisms of immune programming by the CMV-based vaccine and IL- 15 actions to inform human testing of this vaccine concept in ongoing and future phase I/II trials.

NIH P01 AI177688: $8,472,008

WaNPRC AD for Research quoted in Scientific American on the pursuit of a Valley Fever vaccine

As seen in October 2023 issue:
The disease hits farmworkers and outdoor laborers disproportionately hard.

The article discusses the growing threat of Valley fever, a fungal disease caused by Coccidioides, in the western United States, particularly in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Valley fever thrives in dry, dusty environments and can be inhaled as airborne pathogens. It is characterized by symptoms such as coughing, fevers, body aches, fatigue, rashes, and appetite loss. The disease disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, including Latino, Asian, and Native American communities, due to their frequent exposure to dusty outdoor locations. Many of those affected lack access to basic healthcare and are afraid to seek medical help due to concerns about employer retaliation or deportation.

The article highlights that Valley fever is underreported, underdiagnosed, and underfunded, with limited research on the disease. Researchers are working to better understand its spread and develop treatments and vaccines. Climate change and environmental factors, such as increased dust exposure, are contributing to the spread of Valley fever, and there is concern that it could extend into new regions in the future.

One potential benefit of a Valley fever vaccine is that it could be a one-and-done kind of thing—unlike those for influenza or even tetanus, which must be updated regularly. According to studies by microbiologist Deborah Fuller of the University of Washington School of Medicine, people who get Valley fever develop lifelong immunity. That, Fuller says, “is the golden egg.”

Dr. Deborah FullerAssociate Director for Research, Core Scientist

Fuller’s research team is actively working on developing both DNA and RNA-based vaccines. These vaccines are designed to stimulate the body to produce specific proteins that can trigger a strong immune response. What makes these vaccines particularly valuable is that they have the potential to do more than just combat Valley fever. They could also serve as a valuable tool for researchers to gain a better understanding of how the immune system responds to other fungal diseases. This research could ultimately lead to improved treatments for a range of fungal infections, providing valuable insights into the field of fungal disease immunology.

Efforts are also underway at both the local and federal levels to address the threat of Valley fever, with some researchers working on vaccines for humans, building on the success of a vaccine for dogs. Funding for Valley fever research has increased in response to rising incidence rates, but there is a long way to go in terms of awareness, diagnosis, and treatment of this fungal disease, especially among vulnerable populations like farmworkers.

A community of neuroscientists stands together

As we face the prospect of living longer and developing age-related diseases including Alzheimer’s and other dementias, and long COVID, it is an especially critical time to be a neuroscientist. At the Simian Collective (SimCo) meeting in Chicago we heard exciting new findings from neuroscientists across the country who are unraveling the mysteries of the brain in health and in disorders including autism, stroke, schizophrenia, depression, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. The stars of the meeting were the young investigators who are taking our knowledge to the next level by developing and implementing state of the art technologies and answering questions about the brain that many of us only dreamed about 15-20 years ago.

The meeting was also emotional for all of us all as we celebrated the lives, legacies, and scientific accomplishments of two of our esteemed colleagues – Drs. Sliman Bensmaia and Krishna Shenoy – two brilliant scientists whose work with both human and nonhuman primates alike, made a difference in the everyday lives of people struggling with movement disability from spinal cord injury and stroke. Sliman and Krishna were remarkable people; fun-loving, mischievous, and deeply committed husbands and fathers. We are all better people for knowing them.

Though not expected at a professional, scientific event, SimCo attendees experienced another set of emotions – terror and fear. During a keynote presentation from an internationally renowned neuroscientist, Dr. Betsy Murray, two people from PETA entered the room and one jumped on the stage carrying a sign and screaming horrible untruths about Dr. Murray and her work as he quickly and aggressively walked toward her. The other was taking a video of the scene while shouting “Do not touch me” throughout. It was scary – it was terrorism – and it is unacceptable. At least one of these disruptors was identified as engaging in similar terrorizing behavior against another one of our colleagues Dr. Agnes Lacreuse – notably also a woman.

This very frightening event that occurred at SimCo is not an isolated incident. It is part of a campaign of harassment and intimidation against scientists who are working hard every day to end suffering for all living beings. The animal enterprise terrorism act (AETA) passed into law in 2006, expressly forbids the kind of harassment and intimidation in which PETA engages. AETA needs enforcement and PETA actors need to be prosecuted.

Reflections from the Field: Joint Meeting of IPS and MPS 2023, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia

In a sobering talk presented at the joint conference of the International and Malaysian Primatological Societies in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia by Dr. Anna Holzner (from the University of Leipzig), the audience learned that the southern pig-tailed macaque monkey, the primate species that we breed at WaNPRC, is facing immediate and long-term threats in pigtail habitat countries such as peninsular Malaysia. According to Dr. Holzner, many of the forests are being converted to oil palm plantations. To adapt to these environmental changes, pigtails travel into the plantations and forage, putting them at increased risk of predation and exposure to pesticides. These immediate risks are compounded by the long-term impacts on lifespan resulting from changes in social structure and behavior that occur because of foraging in the plantations. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34993012/)

The Washington National Primate Research Center (WaNPRC) is deeply committed to capacity building and conservation of primates across the globe through the work of our Global Conservation Education and Outreach unit (GCEO) established in 1999. The International Union for Conservation of Nature recently upgraded the classification of the southern pig-tailed macaque to endangered based on the projected decline in population. Noting IUCN criteria specifically indicates, “Population reduction projected, inferred or suspected to be met in the future (up to a maximum of 100 years).”

WaNPRC’s GCEO, along with our partners at the Primate Research Center at IPB University (IPB) in Bogor, Indonesia are leading the effort to collect data on the distribution and population of southern pig-tailed macaque monkeys. We at WaNPRC remain committed to this effort and will continue to work hard on behalf of these animals. We are hopeful that our collaborative efforts aimed at understanding the pig-tailed macaque in habitat countries combined with our deep knowledge of these animals from our years of experience breeding and caring for them, will help ensure these precious animals stay vital in their native habitats.

Research Funding Round-Up

Dr. Cynthia Derdeyn & Emory University
NIH R01-AI174979 $4,002,880

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is providing financial support to Dr. Derdeyn and her collaborators at Emory National Primate Research Center (ENPRC) for their research on HIV vaccines before human testing. They have demonstrated that the vaccine triggers strong levels of protective antibodies capable of preventing infection. Additionally, they have identified the specific vaccine components that these antibodies target. These discoveries are driving the development of new approaches to enhance protection.

The similarity between the protective antibodies produced in response to the vaccine in both monkeys (nonhuman primates or NHPs) and humans is being illustrated. By monitoring the development of these antibodies, the Derdeyn Lab is gaining comprehensive insights into this complex process. Their work underscores the value of the monkey model in fully comprehending this mysterious mechanism. Their findings, demonstrating the production of similar protective antibodies in both monkeys and humans, are advancing efforts to create an effective HIV vaccine.

Dr. Michael Gale, Jr.
NIH P01 AI177688 $8,472,008

The world needs a good vaccine for HIV/AIDS, and the Gale Lab is studying a candidate using a virus called cytomegalovirus (CMV). It’s very effective and long-lasting at stopping the virus from multiplying in the Rhesus Macaque-SIV model. This vaccine works by activating a type of immune response that’s a bit unusual, and it also increases the levels of a protein called IL-15, which helps protect against HIV.

They are seeking to figure out exactly how this vaccine and IL-15 work together to create protection and to use that knowledge to test the vaccine in people in phase I/II trials. In simpler terms, they’re trying to understand how a specific vaccine using CMV and IL-15 can protect against HIV, then building on this information to develop better HIV vaccines for humans.

Dr. Megan O’Connor
NIH R21AI170094-01A1 $706,000
NIH R01HL165933-01A1 $3,876,310
Dr. O’Connor‘s R21 study aims to understand how a new type of COVID-19 vaccine works in a monkey model of HIV/AIDS, which mimics immune problems. The information the lab is gathering will help make this vaccine better for global use, even in places with fewer resources, and for people with weakened immune systems, like those with HIV.

With the R01 funding, the O’Conner Lab is studying how HIV affects our immune system and gut bacteria when it comes to COVID-19. Through their work involving monkeys with HIV, they are learning how our immune system affects COVID-19 in the lungs and how having a weaker immune system can make COVID-19 worse.

Dr. Amy Orsborn
NIH R01NS134634-01 $701,214

Dr. Amy Orsborn‘s project aims to make brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) better. BCIs can help paralyzed people move, but they have problems lasting a long time and working well in different situations. This is because our brains change when we use BCIs a lot, and this affects how well they work. The Orsborn Labs wants to understand these changes and use them to make BCIs more reliable. We will use monkeys to study how their brains change when they control a computer cursor with their thoughts. We will also use special implants to see what’s happening in their brains over 10 days.

The laboratory has three main goals:

See if the way they program the BCI (called the decoder) affects how the brain organizes information (called the encoder). This can make BCIs more resistant to signal loss (when the brain can’t send signals) and changes in tasks.
Check if the decoder also influences how specific the encoder is to certain BCI movements. This can make BCIs better at adapting to different tasks.
Develop new computer methods that can make BCIs more robust without making them perform worse. By studying these things, they hope to make BCIs using brain plasticity to work better for a long time and in different situations.

Dr. Anitha Pasupathy
NIH U01 NS131810-01 $3,315,014

Dr. Pasupathy and her collaborators’ main aim is to deeply and precisely understand how different parts of the primate brain work together when making decisions based on what they sense. They want to create detailed maps that show how different areas of the brain communicate with each other down to the level of individual cells.

They’re going to create new methods that will help them:

Accurately find linked brain cells in different parts of the brain, both near the surface and deep within it.
Use advanced scanning technology and special recording devices to see and understand how these brain cells work in larger groups.
Study how these groups of brain cells work together while animals do tasks that are relevant to their natural behaviors.

By doing this, they hope to learn how different parts of the brain talk to each other and combine what they sense and know to help animals make sense of their surroundings. This research will also help us understand and develop ways to treat brain problems that affect how we recognize objects or how different parts of our brain communicate, like what happens in conditions like agnosia or autism.

Dr. Dorothy Patton
NIH R01-AI175153-01 $5,084,750

Drs. Dorothy Patton and Lucia Vojtech are planning to study whether a type of bacteria, called C. trachomatis (CT), that causes infections in the rectal area might actually protect against infections in other parts of the body, like the genital area. They’ve seen an increase in these rectal infections in clinics that deal with sexually transmitted infections, but they’re not sure how these infections affect the body’s ability to fight off the bacteria or prevent future infections.

In previous studies with mice, researchers found that when the animals were infected with a similar bacteria in their rectal area, it made them less likely to get infected in their genital area. This suggests that a rectal infection might help the body’s immune system learn how to defend against infections in different areas. However, it’s not known if this also happens in humans when they naturally get infected with CT.

To find out, researchers are using a group of pigtail macaques, which have similar responses to infections as humans. They’re infecting these monkeys with CT in their rectal area and then observing if this protects them from getting infected in their genital area later on. At the same time, they’re also studying how the immune system responds to rectal infections with CT in humans.

By comparing the results from the monkey and human studies, the researchers aim to see if a rectal infection triggers a stronger immune response that can better protect against future infections compared to infections in the genital area. This information could help them develop vaccines that provide better protection against CT infections in humans, especially in the genital area, and prevent the most severe consequences of these infections.

More new funding:

R01 AI174979 (Derdeyn, PI) – Tracking the evolutionary trajectory of neutralizing antibodies following BG505 SOSIP immunization in rhesus macaques, $822,777 (current FY)
R21AI168739 (Shears, PI)** – Malaria vaccine evaluation in a novel infant NHP challenge model, $353,000
R44AI179440 (Frizzell/Fuller, MPI) – Clinic-ready MACH-1 Gene Gun for Delivery of a Universal Influenza DNA vaccine, $996,500
U19AI166058-supplement (Keim PD, Fuller Project PI) – Early In Vivo Expressed Antigens and their Role in Virulence, Immune Response and Vaccines for Coccidioidomycosis, $1,390,215
R01AI170214 (Peterson, PI)** – Developing Durable, Env-Boosted CAR T Cells for HIV Cure, $893,464
R01AI174304 (Lieber/Kiem, MPI) – In vivo HSC gene therapy using a multi-modular HDAd vector for HIV cure, $685,904
amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research (Lieber/Kiem, MPI), – Portable gene therapy treatment, $480,000

Macaques in Puerto Rico learned to share shade after Hurricane Maria

Monkeys who are social were more likely to survive in the years following the storm

From ScienceNews
By Erin Garcia de Jesús

AUGUST 15, 2023

After Hurricane Maria battered Puerto Rico in 2017, monkeys living there forged new bonds to share a suddenly scarce resource: shade.

Rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) that were willing to hang out with others boosted their chance of survival in the storm’s aftermath, researchers report July 24 at bioRxiv.org. That newfound sociability may have allowed multiple animals to escape the scorching heat of the day beneath any trees left standing, and any other source of shade they could find.

The Washington National Primate Research Center was tapped to serve as the coordinating center to oversee the combined pledge of funds from the NPRCs in California, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin totaling $30,000.

This aid will arrive in Puerto Rico by way of a container ship with vital supplies and equipment. The NIH is facilitating these operations, and FEMA is prioritizing urgent animal support supplies in order to avoid some of the supply chain backups that have plagued ground distribution in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.

Photos c/o Angelina Ruiz Lambides, Associate Director, Scientist-in-Charge at the Cayo Santiago Biological Field Station, University of Puerto Rico

60 MINUTES – NEWSMAKERS
On Monkey Island, scientists have rare access to more than 6 decades of biological, behavioral data

Dr. Hans-Peter Kiem awarded amfAR grant for research on HIV gene therapy

amfAR, the American Foundation for AIDS Research, supports research for HIV/AIDS understanding, treatment, prevention, and a cure. Hans-Peter Kiem, MD, PhD, is developing gene therapy to make a patient’s blood and immune system cells resistant to HIV, thanks in part to amfAR awarding him $480,000.

HIV was once considered incurable but can be controlled with medication. Researchers like Dr. Kiem are boldly exploring a cure, inspired by a special transplant that make cells HIV-resistant. The world-renowned pioneer in stem-cell and gene therapy aims to combine this knowledge with the use of CRISPR technology to protect against HIV. CRISPR stands for “Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats.” It’s a revolutionary gene editing technology that allows scientists to precisely change the DNA of organisms, including humans, plants, and animals. CRISPR technology is based on a natural defense mechanism found in bacteria, which is used to fend off viruses by storing a small piece of viral DNA within their own DNA.

Using CRISPR to edit genes precisely, the Kiem Lab is applying this protection to a person’s blood cells to fight HIV. They seek a simpler approach using a harmless virus to deliver the therapy through injections, potentially helping other conditions like sickle cell disease. The end goal is a practical and accessible HIV cure that’s akin to how cancer treatment became common. They are taking a similar leap in curing HIV and AIDS.

Professor Thomas Burbacher retires after 49 years at WaNPRC

Burbacher spent decades researching how toxic chemicals affect children’s developing brains. Photo by Veronica Brace

Dr. Tom Burbacher’s career took him on a journey through the fascinating world of health sciences, where data from his studies advance the understanding of the causes and treatments of childhood neurodevelopmental disabilities. The Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences (DEOHS) at the University of Washington recently wrote an article about Burbacher’s many accomplishments, “Protecting children’s brains from toxic chemicals.”

Dr. Burbacher’s research at the University of Washington began in 1974 as a graduate student. He was mentored by Professor of Psychology Gene “Jim” Sackett and became part of the Washington Regional Primate Research Center, now Washington National Primate Research Center. In the laboratory established in Seattle just four years prior, Jim and Tom aimed to understand human childhood developmental disorders by studying nonhuman primates. You can read more about his 50-year journey in the American Journal of Primatology.

This research enhanced the understanding of nursery care for infant monkeys, socialization, behavior testing, and rearing conditions. It also illuminated the intricate interplay of genetic, prenatal, and environmental factors in primate development, offering best practices for nursery rearing and housing.

Moreover, the findings significantly impact the analysis of maternal substance exposure, vaccine safety, and infectious disease processes, shaping clinical decisions and deepening our knowledge of developmental and health-related risks. This research influences various aspects of child health and development, encompassing maternal medication effects, pediatric HIV/AIDS, fragile X syndrome, and stem cell-based modeling. The lab’s multidisciplinary approach continues to drive advancements in understanding pediatric diseases and potential treatments. Over 20 years, Dr. Burbacher collaborated closely with senior research scientist Dr. Kimberly “Kim” Grant, mentoring numerous undergraduates and graduate students in their lab.

Dr. Burbacher looks forward to traveling more in retirement. As professor emeritus in DEOHS, he’ll be continuing his work with Kim by managing TERIS (Teratogen Information System) a knowledge bank providing expert guidance on the pregnancy risks of medications, viruses, and vaccines.

Going on a trip? A COVID booster could be part of your plans

UW Medicine Newsroom asked faculty experts to offer a summer outlook on COVID protection.

Virologist and WaNPRC Associate Director for Research, Dr. Deborah Fuller, and Immunologist Dr. Marion Pepper provide insights into the current status of COVID protection as the disease continues to impact respiratory infections.

uw medicine newsroom

As seen in October 2023 issue: The disease hits farmworkers and outdoor laborers disproportionately hard.

Monkeys who are social were more likely to survive in the years following the storm

UW Medicine Newsroom asked faculty experts to offer a summer outlook on COVID protection.

As seen in October 2023 issue:
The disease hits farmworkers and outdoor laborers disproportionately hard.