News Archives - Washington National Primate Research Center

Neuro Unit Shines at SfN

Researchers from the Washington National Primate Research Center Neuroscience Unit made a big impact at this year’s Society for Neuroscience (SfN) meeting, sharing 27 different scientific presentations. This large wide-ranging set of contributions shows how our teams are helping push neuroscience forward in meaningful, practical ways.

The studies covered everything from basic brain wiring to vision, learning, and new tools that can change how scientists study the brain. Here are some of the standout projects:

Why different parts of the brain learn differently
One project showed that two neighboring brain areas, one that helps control movement and one that processes touch, don’t adapt to stimulation in the same way. This suggests that future brain-based therapies, like those used after injuries or strokes, may need to be tailored to each specific region rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.

How the brain keeps the world “steady” when your eyes jump around
Every time you move your eyes, your visual world should technically blur. But it doesn’t; your brain keeps things stable. WaNPRC scientists uncovered signals in a part of the brain involved in vision that help update this “steady view” even when the eyes move rapidly. Understanding this process can eventually help with conditions that affect visual stability.

How the brain finds objects in cluttered scenes
Researchers tested how monkeys identify animals in very challenging pictures, like those made of dots or high-contrast black-and-white shapes. They found that mid-level visual areas and the prefrontal cortex work together to pull meaningful objects out of visual noise. This offers clues about how we make sense of complicated images in the real world.

How the brain recognizes shapes even when lighting changes
Another team discovered that a key visual area continues to recognize an object’s shape even when its brightness flips from light-on-dark to dark-on-light. This means the brain stores shape information in a way that’s tied to the object itself, not the lighting—similar to how you can recognize a friend’s face whether they’re in sunlight or shadow.

What changes across layers of the brain’s “first stop” for vision
Using recordings from thousands of neurons, researchers found that the way cells respond to overlapping patterns (like stripes or textures) changes depending on their depth within the visual cortex. This gives scientists a clearer map of how early visual processing works.

A breakthrough tool for turning brain activity off with light
One exciting advance this year was a new optogenetics technique that uses red light to temporarily quiet specific brain cells—no surgery required beyond the original gene delivery. The effect lasts more than a year and works through the brain’s protective covering. This is a major step forward for long-term, minimally invasive brain research.

The first direct look at how the brain filters visual information during eye movements
Scientists identified individual pairs of connected cells between the eye and the first visual relay in the brain. They found that this connection briefly “dials down” signals right before an eye movement, then opens back up afterward—almost like a camera adjusting exposure during motion. This helps explain how the brain avoids blurry vision.

Big steps toward mapping the brain’s wiring in multiple species
Two presentations showed how barcoding technologies – tools that label neurons with unique molecular “IDs”-are being adapted for use in monkeys and other species. These methods could make it possible to map brain wiring at a massive scale.

How the brain gets better at learning new tasks
In a long-term study, researchers found that as animals learned many different problems over time, brain cells in memory and decision-making areas started representing information in more flexible, general ways. This work helps explain how we develop “learning-to-learn” skills, being able to pick up new tasks more easily with experience.

Together, these presentations highlight just how much groundbreaking work WaNPRC researchers are contributing to the field. Their discoveries deepen our understanding of how the brain sees, learns, adapts, and connects, and they pave the way for future advances in treating human neurological conditions.

This year’s SfN meeting confirmed what we already knew: our scientists are helping shape the future of neuroscience.

Survey: People Trust Vets on Animal Research

A new national survey on public attitudes toward animal research indicates that trust, and communication based in facts, play a huge role in acceptance for the work. The survey identified veterinarians (81%) and scientists (77%) as the most trusted sources of information.

The study, conducted in part by Dr. Sally Thompson-Iritani, Assistant Vice Provost for Animal Care, Outreach & 3Rs at the University of Washington, surveyed more than 2,000 adults across the United States. Responses showed that public acceptance of animal research is strongly influenced by information and context. Researchers found that when participants were assured of humane care and ethical oversight, their support increased significantly: 71% supported research benefiting humans under those conditions.

The survey also shows that informed communication shifts opinion. Acceptability of laboratory animal research rose from 44% to 55% after participants were exposed to messages highlighting ethical oversight and mutual benefits for humans and animals. Furthermore, specific to our work at the Washington National Primate Research Center, 55% of respondents found research involving monkeys to be acceptable.

At the WaNPRC, our veterinarians, researchers, and staff support fostering informed public engagement around the scientific and ethical dimensions of primate research.

Read the report in the American Journal of Veterinary Research.

Committed to Care at Every Step

Transporting nonhuman primates between facilities is a complex, tightly regulated process that prioritizes animal welfare, safety, and legal compliance at every step. Each shipment involves extensive coordination among veterinarians, animal care teams, and logistics specialists, following detailed standard operating procedures that govern everything from health screening to the chopping of fruits and vegetables packed for the journey.

Despite taking every possible precaution, a complex operation like animal transport carries inherent risks. We were deeply saddened by the tragic incident involving animals originating from the Tulane National Biomedical Research Center (TNBRC),when a transport vehicle operated by an independent transport company overturned in Mississippi.. We also acknowledge that local authorities faced an extraordinarily difficult situation and acted as they believed necessary to protect public safety. Still, the outcome represents a heartbreaking loss of animal life and the scientific advances the animals supported. It reminds all of us who work in animal research of the emotional weight of our responsibilities.

We recognize the compassion, professionalism, and grief of our colleagues who experienced this loss, and we share their sorrow. To our Tulane colleages: We know that this tragic loss of life may be a burden you carry for some time, and we honor your ongoing commitment to the animals in your care now.

New Leader for Global Programs Named

Central Oregon Community College photo Dr Novak speaks with a student. — Photo Courtesy: Central Oregon Community College

Washington National Primate Research Center Director, Dr. Deborah Fuller today welcomed Dr. Matthew Novak as the new Associate Director of Global Conservation, Education and Outreach. He will be replacing Dr. Randall Kyes, who is retiring from the post at the end of this year.

Dr. Novak is currently a professor of psychology at Central Oregon Community College (COCC). His connections with WaNPRC and the University of Washington go back to the 1990s when he was a student. He was one of the first two American students to participate in Kyes’ Indonesian Field Study Program. He has since returned several times as a guest instructor.

“Matthew will be able to step into the role with a deep appreciation for the strong foundation of global outreach and education in nonhuman primates that Dr. Kyes established,” said Director Fuller. “He has an exciting new vision for expanding the Unit to include new outreach domestically, and we are changing the name of the Unit to Global Programs to reflect this vision. We are fortunate to have him join our team and I’m looking forward to seeing where he takes the unit next.”

As teaching professor in the UW Department of Comparative Medicine’s (DCM), Dr Novak will also provide training in the Laboratory Animal Medicine Residency Program. “We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Matt Novak to the Department of Comparative Medicine,” said Chair Dr. Raimon Duran-Struuck. “His expertise will also significantly strengthen our Global Health program, enhancing our interdisciplinary efforts and global collaborations.”

In addition to his PhD in Developmental Psychology, Novak is the past president of the American Society of Primatologists and has published on primate topics such as the late-life health impacts of early-life adversity, and studied the impacts of environmental changes on primates in Indonesia.

“The conservation, education and outreach efforts performed and organized by Dr. Randy Kyes over the last 3 plus decades is some of the absolute best work in these areas that has ever been done,” Dr. Novak said. “The importance of his bottom-up approach to building long-term relationships to support the work of the center cannot be emphasized enough. Therefore, I am humbled and honored to be chosen as the next person to lead this effort, on behalf of the primate center. Thank you, Randy, for setting the stage for this next chapter! And to those who know him, you are aware I have impossibly large shoes to fill. I hope everyone will join me and the rest of us in the Global Programs Unit, as we work together to continue his great legacy.”

Novak will continue teaching at COCC until wrapping up this semester. He will simultaneously work with Dr. Kyes to onboard until taking on the role full-time in December.

NAM-Specific Study to Map Immune System

The Washington National Primate Research Center has announced its first Ignition award specifically aimed at supporting a New Approach Methodology (NAM) in a study. WaNPRC has long supported a 3Rs approach to reduce, refine and replace animal models, this award specifically names NAMs.

This project will create the first detailed “map” of the immune system in pigtail macaques at WaNPRC. Using cutting-edge technology called single-cell RNA sequencing, researchers will look at thousands of individual immune cells. They’ll catalog what types of immune cells exist, how they function, and how male, female, and fetal macaques may differ. The end result will be a “Pigtail Macaque Immune Reference Atlas.” A resource that can be compared to similar atlases already created for rhesus macaques and humans.

This atlas will be a powerful NAMs resource because it will:

Enable computer-based predictions of how pigtail macaques respond to infections and vaccines.
Reduce animal use by allowing scientists to model immune responses using existing data instead of collecting new samples.
Refine animal studies by identifying when pigtail macaques are the best model, and when other models or computer simulations may be more accurate.

This project will help researchers make better predictions about how diseases and vaccines affect humans, while reducing the number of animals needed in future experiments.

“This study represents an important step forward in combining traditional primate research with modern computational tools that improve both science and animal welfare,” said Dr Adams Waldorf.

The funding opportunity was announced in mid-2025 and also supports collaborative studies between veterinarians and primary investigators. WaNPRC anticipates funding up to four awards per year and applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. Here is the form for applications.

Director Fuller: Viruses Don’t See Borders

Vaccines access is becoming a national checkerboard of availability, with wide gaps between where they’re available and where they’re not.

Among the problems this patchwork creates: Parents say they can’t find a COVID vaccine without driving two hours. They say their doctor’s offices aren’t ordering the vaccine because the CDC isn’t recommending it for children under 18.

But, as WaNPRC Director Deborah Fuller told Healthcare Dive, “Viruses don’t see borders.”

“If you have an outbreak somewhere, it’s a problem for everyone, everywhere,” she said.

That may lead to discrepancies in health outcomes that depend on the politics of your zipcode, not science.

Read more on what health care providers and scientists say that means for our nation’s future.

Proposed Federal Cuts to Animal Testing Spur Scientific Debate

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 that NAMs can’t yet replace animal models in many areas, like cancer and radiation research. Experts are also concerned about the speed of implementation and the risk of compromising scientific rigor. The shift comes amid broader federal cuts to basic science funding, raising doubts about how far these changes can be effectively realized.

You can read the entire article in STAT News here.

“The reason we have made all the progress and have such amazing science that we do today is in large part thanks to the animal models,” Sally Thompson-Iritani, Assistant Vice Provost of animal care at the University of Washington, told STAT.

“The NIH decided to put this name on it, ‘new approach methodologies,’ but they’re not new. We’ve been doing this for decades, constantly working in parallel,” Deborah Fuller, Director of the Washington National Primate Research Center at the University of Washington, told STAT.

Study: Electrical Brain Stimulation Reduces Damage from Stroke

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 humans.

The study was led by Azadeh Yazdan-Shahmorad PhD, and PhD student Jasmine Zhou of the Neural Engineering and Rehabilitation Laboratory at the University of Washington with an assist from Karam Khateeb, another PhD student tin the same lab. They used a nonhuman primate (NHP) model to test whether electrical stimulation in the sensorimotor cortex could reduce the spread of injury after ischemic stroke, the most common type, making up some 70% of strokes. They applied a form of brain stimulation called theta burst stimulation—a rapid, rhythmic pattern designed to influence neural activity—directly adjacent to the damaged area. This intervention was done one hour after the onset of the stroke.

The electrical stimulation showed smaller lesion volumes compared to those that did not. In some cases, the damaged area was reduced by nearly half. The researchers also observed reduced inflammation and cellular stress markers in stimulated brains, suggesting the stimulation helped suppress harmful processes triggered by the stroke.

Previous research into brain stimulation for stroke recovery has mostly focused on chronic treatment, administered long after the stroke occurs. The use of stimulation within hours of stroke onset has remained largely unexplored due to longstanding beliefs that doing so would concerns about further injuring brain tissue. This study is one of the first to demonstrate in primates that early stimulation may instead provide a protective effect.

“The neuroprotective effects of electrical stimulation observed in this study hold promise not only for significantly improving acute stroke management – by reducing functional deficits and enhancing the chances of recovery in stroke survivors – but also for opening new avenues for therapeutic applications in other types of nervous system injury, including spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury,” Dr Yazdan-Shahmorad said.

The results offer encouraging evidence for possible clinical applications. However, the authors emphasize that more research is needed before this approach can be considered safe or effective in human patients. You can read the study in Nature Communications, published on July 21, 2025.

WaNPRC Research Led to “Game-Changer” HIV Drugs

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 focused on the successful human trials, it might not have gotten to human trials at all were it not for animal studies, including those done at WaNPRC.

Yeztugo is a promising tool for many patients. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 1.1 million people in the U.S. are living with HIV. Even though fewer people are getting HIV each year — with about 36,300 new cases in 2018 and 31,800 in 2022 — the disease still hits certain groups harder than others. Experts think one big reason HIV is still a problem is because many people who could benefit from medicine that prevents it (called PrEP, or Pre–Exposure Prophylaxis) either don’t know about it, can’t easily get it, or forget to take it every day. So, a twice-a-year shot has the potential to boost the longstanding effort to reduce HIV rates over the coming years. While Yeztugo is for PrEP, Sunlenca is used as a treatment of HIV in combination with other medications. How these drugs got to this point is where WaNPRC researchers and monkeys enter the picture.

In lieu of a cure, the focus has been on using PrEP to halt transmission between people.

In the mid-1990s, Dr Che-Chung Tsai, a WaNPRC affiliate scientist, showed that an experimental drug, called tenofovir, when administered to pigtail macaques just before or after exposure to SIV (a virus very similar to HIV that causes AIDS in nonhuman primates) study completely protected the animals from infection without adverse effects.

This success led Gilead to develop the licensed version of tenofovir (called Truvada) that has been now used for two decades in the US and worldwide to reduce HIV transmission. This success led Gilead to pursue more options. Among those was lenacapavir, now known by the brand name “Yeztugo and Sunlenca.”

Before Yeztugo and Sunlenca could be tested in humans, it had to be first tested in petri dishes to show it could neutralize the virus. Years of work led to optimizing the drug’s ability to neutralize the virus in a dish. But showing a drug works well in a dish is not enough. To determine the feasibility of using this drug in people, essential studies in nonhuman primates were needed to determine the dose of drug needed to block infection in the body, to determine where the drug goes in the body and if it was safe. This is where WaNPRC once again enters the picture. Dr. Tsai’s early work with Truvada showed the value of the pigtail macaque in predicting the success of a treatment for human use and this led to researchers testing this new drug to reach out to WaNPRC to support this research by providing pigtail macaques for their crucial preclinical study prior to advancing this drug to human clinical trials.

“Female pigtail macaques are preferred for studies to develop antivirals and vaccines to prevent vaginal and rectal transmission of HIV due to their close similarity to both males and females. In particular, female pigtail macaques exhibit the closest similarity to the human female menstrual cycle and have played a crucial role for decades in studies of HIV transmission and prevention in women”said WaNPRC Director Deborah Fuller, who lauded the work leading up to this new drug.

But the work doesn’t end there. WaNPRC is continuing to support studies that aim to halt the spread of HIV. Dr. Rodney Ho, a WaNPRC affiliate researcher and professor in pharmaceutical sciences at the University of Washington pigtail macaques at WaNPRC is developing a different long-acting HIV drug combination, intended to provide even longer lasting HIV viral suppression. His innovation recently entered human clinical trials in collaboration with WaNPRC’s Associate Director of Research, Dr. Kristina Adams Waldorf.

He touts his contributions in establishing the methods were used to enable the ability of PrEP to directly improve human health. With antiviral drugs preventing transmission, Ho said, “life expectance greatly increases. There’s no public burden on health care costs and a higher quality of life for patients who can live out their normal lives.”

The story of Yeztugo and Sunlenca is a powerful example of how early-stage research at WaNPRC laid the foundation for medical breakthroughs that can saved millions of lives. The WaNPRC’s contributions underscore the role of nonhuman primates in translating discoveries into real-world solutions. WaNPRC is committed to this mission and will continue to play a key role in developing the next-gen treatments to prevent and treat HIV and to improve the quality of life and health of people.

Infections in Pregnancy May Alter Brain Development

Illustration of Influenza A and Zika side-by-side. — 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 viruses — influenza A and Zika — on fetal brain development in pregnant pigtail macaques. Their focus was on a vulnerable area of the brain that’s vital for communication between different brain regions and is still developing late into pregnancy.

In some of the fetal brains, researchers found unusual changes in cells called astrocytes — the brain’s support cells. These altered astrocytes were filled with tiny granules and stood out under the microscope. The researchers dubbed these cells “inclusion cells” because of the grainy material packed inside them.

These inclusion cells showed signs of stress and self-digestion. Nearby immune cells in the brain also appeared activated, suggesting the brain was responding to some kind of injury. These changes were more common when the mother had been infected just a few days to up to three weeks. But they weren’t seen with longer or much shorter infection windows — or in brains affected by other types of injuries, like oxygen deprivation.

The viruses also didn’t seem to be infecting the fetal brain directly. Instead, the brain may have been reacting to inflammation or immune signals from the mother’s body — not the virus itself.

These changes didn’t cause visible birth defects, but they may represent subtle, early damage that could affect brain wiring or development. This is important because many conditions like autism, epilepsy, or developmental delay don’t always show obvious signs on brain scans but may be linked to very early injuries.

The study raises questions about whether a mild or unnoticed infection during pregnancy affects a baby’s brain in ways that only show up years later. And could a better understanding of these mild injuries help us prevent or treat neurodevelopmental disorders?

“A healthy brain at birth is the foundation for a child’s ability to develop to its full potential,” said Dr. Adams Waldorf, a Professor at UW Medicine and lead researcher on the study. “If we understand how these kinds of subtle fetal brain injuries begin, we can figure out how to prevent them in the first place.”

More research is needed — especially in humans — to answer those questions. But for now, their findings add to growing evidence that maternal health and immune responses during pregnancy can play a powerful role in shaping brain development long before birth.

You can read the full report in Acta Neuropathologica Communications.