Dr. Michael Brad Strader, a researcher from National Institutes of Health (NIH) visits the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus
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Caribbean Primate Center
- Kraiselburd, Edmundo K.
Acting Director, Caribbean Primate Research Center
e-mail:ekraiselburd@rcm.upr.edu
The Caribbean Primate Research Center provides the international scientific community with an unparalleled research resource. Studies conducted at the CPRC have resulted in significant contributions to our knowledge of primate behavior, demography, husbandry, reproductive biology, genetics, physical anthropology, anatomy, parasitology, immunology, virology, gerontology and pathology. Recent studies have focused on the spontaneous diseases of aging macaques (arthritis, osteoporosis, glaucoma, retinal macular degeneration, diabetes hypertension, obesity) neurobiochemical and socioendocrinologial basis of behavior, population genetics and DNA fingerprinting, male reproductive strategies, vocal communication, and physical anthropology.
The most unique of the CPRC's research resources is the island and monkeys of Cayo Santiago which provide an ideal field research environment in which to study the naturalistic behavior and biology of an entire rhesus macaque population. All of the monkeys are of known identity, age, sex, social group and matriline. They are easily observed and studied because of their neutrality to human beings. The colony is unique because it is the only (1) large, free ranging rhesus monkey population in the U.S.A. dedicated to research, (2) naturalistic colony of nonhuman primates in the world with a large and readily accessible computerized longitudinal database (76,000 monkeys), (3) free ranging colony in the world with such extensive genealogical information (group histories spanning 40 years; matrilines on individuals up to seven generations), and (4) rhesus colony with complete life history information on individual animals.
The Sabana Seca Field Station (SSFS) serves as the CPRC's biomedical research, veterinary, laboratory, pathology, research training, administrative, and building and maintenance headquarters. This facility houses approximately 800 rhesus monkeys derived from Cayo Santiago. Individual monkeys can be housed in conventional cages or in large outdoor corrals for experimental studies using social groups. Recent research at this facility has been focused on the spontaneous diseases of aging rhesus monkeys removed from Cayo Santiago (especially arthritis, osteoporosis, glaucoma and retinal macular degeneration). Monkeys from the SSFS are also the source of subjects for AIDS related and other infectious disease research conducted at the Animal Resources Center on the Medical Sciences Campus.
The CPRC also supports a field research project on the only free-ranging population of patas monkeys (Erythrocebus patas) outside of Africa located in the Sierra Remejnih, Southwestern Puerto Rico. This unique population provides investigators with an unparalleled opportunity to study the ecology, biology and behavior of an African species without the confounding factors of predation, hunting and local politics. Baseline data on this populatioon include individual identities (tattoo, marking tags), demography (group size, birth and death rates), group movement patterns direct observations, radiotelemetry, aerial and satellite reconnaissance), habitat use (vegetation surveys), health and genetics (blood, DNA, hair, fecal samples), social and reproductive behavior, and reproductive seasonality.
The CPRC Museum located on the Medical Sciences Campus, includes over 2,700 complete or nearly complete skeletons from 11 species of nonhuman primates. The majority of the collection consists of rhesus macaque skeletons from Cayo Santiago but it also includes the world's largest collection of patas monkey (Erythrocebus patas) skeletons. These two series provide researchers with a broad spectrum of immature as well as mature specimens for osteological and dental investigations. Most skeletons also have supporting data such as basic demographic information (birth and death dates, sex, matriline), medical records, radiographs, necropsy and histopathology reports. The computerized database, soft tissue collection, and medical and radiographic records provide investigators with the ability to relate skeletal anatomy and pathology with hereditary (matrilineal) patterns, individual life histories, age, parity, nutrition and disease. The skeletons are used for a wide variety of anthropological, comparative anatomy, functional morphology, and joint and bone pathology studies.
The CPRC is ideal for studies of demography, population genetics, mate selection, maternal and infant behavior, male and female life histories, reproductive seasonality, growth and development, socioendocrinology, functional morphology, osteology, epidemiology and spontaneous diseases (both hereditary and acquired). The three integrated facilities of the Caribbean Primate Research Center provide a truly unparalleled resource at which behavioral and biomedical researchers can study rhesus monkeys with known backgrounds through their entire lifespan, from birth to death, and then conduct post mortem examinations and osteological studies.
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Contact:
- Emma Fernández-Repollet,Ph.D.
- Program Director
- RCMI Program
- Room 621-A, 6th. floor
- Main Building, Medical Sciences Campus
- GPO Box 365067
- San Juan, PR 00936-5067
- Email: efernandez@rcm.upr.edu
- Voice (787) 763-9401
- FAX (787) 758-5206
