Funded by the European Union

1. Funded by the European Union Contract No. FP6-RII3-026155

2. European Primate-Network (EURPRIM-Net): Challenges and Possibilities Robert Teepe German Primate Center

3. Background Central areas of biological and biomedical research depend on the availability of living non-human primates and biological material with primate origin. Primate research has to be done under high ethical standards, following the 3R-concept of Refinement, Reduction and Replacement! Meeting this requirement necessitates a commitment to substantial investments into appropriate facilities, specialized equipment and extensive training of personnel.

4. EUPRIM-Net • The need for such an infrastructure is best met through specialized, highly competent central facilities that combine research and breeding of primates. • links the European Primates Centers in order to combine and advance their • wide range of biological and biomedical R&D activities • extensive knowledge and infrastructure resources • solid experience in primate housing and breeding • Virtual European Primate Center, providing the best services and supporting the best science that meets the highest ethical standards for primate-based animal research

5. EUPRIM-Net • Specialized infrastructures and procedures for biological and biomedical research • Participants: 9 European Primate Centers • Coordinators: Prof. Dr. S. Treue (DPZ), Dr. R. Bontrop (BPRC) • Activities: 4 Network Activities 2Transnational Access Activities 4 Joint Research Activities • Funded by: European Union (11.8 Mio. Euro total budget) • Funding period: Apr. 2006 – Dec. 2010 Jan. 2011 – Dec. 2014 (follow-up project)

6. Objectives • Optimization of non-human primate keeping and breeding considering animal welfare and ethical guidelines • Development and standardization of procedures and methods for the use of non-human primates in biomedical research • Availability of non-human primates of high quality as well as extensive banks of primate material and primate models for biomedical research • Training courses for researchers and caretakers working with primates

7. European Commission Scientific & Governmental Board External Advisory Board User Selection Panel Access Activities Management Animal Welfare Committee Consortium Management Network Activities Joint Research Activities

8. Participants • German Primate Center (DPZ) • Biomedical Primate Research Centre (BPRC) • Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control (SMI) • Italian National Research Council (CNR): Institute of Neurobiology and Molecular Medicine (INMM) • Université de Strasbourg (UdS): Centre de Primatologie (CdP) • Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS): Station de Primatologie (SdP) • Health Protection Agency (HPA): National Institute for Biological Standards & Control (NIBSC) & Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response (CEPR) • Medical Research Council (MRC): Centre for Macaques (CFM) • Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster (WWU): Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology (CeRA)

9. Participants

10. Topics • Selected research and service topics: • Primates as models for complex human infectious and neurological diseases (e.g. AIDS, hepatitis, malaria, tuberculosis and Alzheimer’s disease) • Genetics, reproduction biology, ethology and evolution • Alternatives (reduction, refinement and replacement of animal research) • Breeding and provision of primates as well as primate material and models • Diagnostics and consultation • Training and education

11. Activities • Network Activities • Provide, maintainanddevelopinstrumentscriticalforprimateresearchatthehighestlevelandwiththehighesttechnicalandethicalstandards • Transnational Access Activities • Provide European researcherswithaccesstoprimate-basedanimalmodelsandbiological material withtheaimtofacilitateinternationallycompetitiveresearch • Joint Research Activities • Ensurecontinuousdevelopmentoftechniquesandknowledgethatformsthebasisforthehighqualityservicesprovidedby EUPRIM-Net

12. Network Activities • Harmonisation of husbandry and experimental procedures of primates in breeding and experiments • Animal behavioural management and positive reinforcement training • Education for personnel working with non-human primates • 4. NEW: Outreach programme – International affairs and industry cooperation

13. Transnational Access Activities • BioBank • Primates as a biological and genetic resource • Tissue, blood and serum bank • Comprehensive collection of non-infectious and • infectious material of different species • Gene bank • Collection consisting of DNA, RNA, cDNA of 170 species • PRIMOCID • Non-human Primate Models of Chronic Immune Disorders • Access to well-established disease models (e.g. Rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, allograft rejection)

14. Joint Research Activities • Development of new and improved tools to measure infection and disease in non-human primates • Monkey “home office” – telemetry for cage-based wireless recordings in unrestrained monkeys • NEW: Development of in vitro technologies to replace, reduce and refine non-human primate studies • NEW: Research activities in animal behavioural management and positive reinforcement training

15. Results and Benefits • High quality of animal housing, breeding and work with primates in experiments • Well-educated animal keepers, veterinarians and researchers • Standardized and comparable procedures/methods • Availability of non-human primates of high quality • Contribution to the 3R-concept: • Refinement,Reduction and Replacement

16. International Cooperation • Research withprimatesandissuesofprimatebreedingandkeepingareofparamount international importance • EUPRIM-Net aims to: • offer a platform for international cooperation linking the centers’ expertise towards a global sharing of available resources • establish an extensive exchange programme between important key players in primate research from the US, Asia, Africa, Australia and further partners interested in the network • involve commercial companies in the ongoing discussion and development of the use of non-human primates for research and other purposes

17. International Cooperation • Associated non-European partners: • National Primate Research Centers (NPRC), USA • Primate Research Institute (PRI), Kyoto University, Japan • Central Institute for Experimental Animals (CIEA), Nogawa, Japan • Kunming Institute of Zoology – Chinese Academy of Sciences, China • Institute of Primate Research (IPR) – National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya • NHP Breeding & Research Centre, Monash University, Australia • Industrial partners: • Kunming Biomed International, China • Covance Laboratories GmbH, Germany • Encepharm, Germany

18. US – EUPRIM-Net Cooperation • Harmonisation of husbandry (Network Activity, WP2) • veterinary exchange and training programme between the US National Primate Research Centers and EUPRIM-Net institutes • Animal Behavioural Management and Positive Reinforcement Training (Network Activity, WP3) • web-meetings and/or video conferences with the US National Primate Research Centers‘ Behavioral Management Consortium, exchange of research technicians • Outreach programme(Network Activity, WP5) • involvement in the compilation of the International Primate Plan (IPP), workshops on PRT, animal welfare, education and alternative methods, travel stipends

19. US – EUPRIM-Net Cooperation • International Plan for the Production of Non-human Primates and their Use in Research and Testing (International Primate Plan, IPP) • currently developed under the leadership of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research (ILAR) of the US National Academies • considers the future development, requirements and demands of all countries using primates for research as well as for pharmaceutical and toxicological testing • serves to guide the development of a web-based resource for the international community to coordinate efforts in breeding, use, characterisation and conservation of non-human primates

20. EUPRIM-Net • Ethical responsibility • Heterogeneity of participating institutes • Expansion of EUPRIM-Net activities to Non-European institutes and industrial partners to spread knowledge and experience • Involvement in the development of the International Primate Plan • Cooperation between NPRCs and EUPRIM-Net in various fields with a focus on animal behavioural management, education and animal welfare

21. Contact Prof. Dr. Stefan Treue DPZ Director Scientific Coordinator EUPRIM-Net (treue@gwdg.de; +49-551-3851-117) Dr. Robert TeepeHead Research Coordination (rteepe@gwdg.de; +49-551-3851-122) Dr. Björg PaulingProject Management EUPRIM-Net (bpauling@dpz.eu; +49-551-3851-454) Dr. Katrin Prinz Principal Investigator Outreach Programme, EUPRIM-Net (kprinz@dpz.eu; +49-551-3851-437)

22. www.euprim-net.eu