IMPROVING PDC/MWRI INSTITUTIONAL ANIMAL RESOURCES

Magee-Women'S Res Inst And Foundation, Pittsburgh PA

Investigators

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The MWRI is a multidisciplinary research institute dedicated to women and infants' health. The majority of its 70 members are from three Departments of the Medical School of the University of Pittsburgh: Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences; Pediatrics; and Pathology. The remaining members of the Institute are from other departments in the Medical, Nursing, and Pharmacy Schools and from the Graduate School of Public Health of the University of Pittsburgh. Membership includes investigators with M.D., Ph.D. or both, who have expertise in clinical or basic research as well as epidemiology or health services research. The Institute emphasizes research and training in interactive, innovative, and translational research. On-going projects include studies in amenorrhea, pre-eclampsia, pregnancy loss, and sexually transmitted diseases. Currently, the investigators of the MWRI utilize mice, rats, and non-human primates as animal models of human disease. The PDC of the MWRI is actively researching contemporary topics of national importance including: the pluripotency of embryonic stem cells using non-human primates; the feasibility of a variety of transgenic approaches for disease modeling using primates; the outcome of Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) in macaque models; and the feasibility of cloning in non-human primates, either for production of identical research models or to evaluate 'therapeutic' cloning. All the non-human primate research performed at the MWRI is performed under the auspices of the PDC. This application requests funds to: 1) provide the PDC and MWRI vivarium with state-of-the-art non-human primate enclosures that exceed all new United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) directives for psychological enrichment; and 2) modernize the PDC and MWRI vivarium with a steam sterilizer.