Funded by the European Union
Contract No. FP6-RII3-026155
European Primate-Network (EURPRIM-Net):
Challenges and Possibilities
Robert Teepe
German Primate Center
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.
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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
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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
2 Transnational 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)
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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 nonhuman 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
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Management
European
Commission
Animal Welfare
Committee
Scientific &
Governmental
Board
Consortium
Management
External Advisory
Board
User Selection Panel
Network Activities
Access Activities
Joint Research Activities
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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)
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Participants
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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
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Activities
Network Activities
 Provide, maintain and develop instruments critical for primate
research at the highest level and with the highest technical and
ethical standards
Transnational Access Activities
 Provide European researchers with access to primate-based
animal models and biological material with the aim to facilitate
internationally competitive research
Joint Research Activities
 Ensure continuous development of techniques and knowledge
that forms the basis for the high quality services provided by
EUPRIM-Net
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Network Activities
1. Harmonisation of husbandry and
experimental procedures of primates in
breeding and experiments
2. Animal behavioural management and
positive reinforcement training
3. Education for personnel working with nonhuman primates
4. NEW: Outreach programme –
International affairs and industry
cooperation
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Transnational Access Activities
1. 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
2. PRIMOCID
Non-human Primate Models of Chronic Immune Disorders
• Access to well-established disease models
(e.g. Rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, allograft
rejection)
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Joint Research Activities
1. Development of new and improved tools to measure
infection and disease in non-human primates
2. Monkey “home office” – telemetry for cage-based
wireless recordings in unrestrained monkeys
3. NEW: Development of in vitro technologies to replace,
reduce and refine non-human primate studies
4. NEW: Research activities in animal
behavioural management and
positive reinforcement training
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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
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International Cooperation
Research with primates and issues of primate breeding and
keeping are of paramount 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
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International Cooperation
Associated non-European partners:
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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:
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Kunming Biomed International, China
Covance Laboratories GmbH, Germany
Encepharm, Germany
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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
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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
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considers the future development, requirements and demands
of all countries using primates for research as well as for
pharmaceutical and toxicological testing
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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
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EUPRIM-Net
•
Ethical responsibility
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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
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Contact
Prof. Dr. Stefan Treue
DPZ Director
Scientific Coordinator EUPRIM-Net
(treue@gwdg.de; +49-551-3851-117)
Dr. Robert Teepe
Head
Research Coordination
(rteepe@gwdg.de; +49-551-3851-122)
Dr. Björg Pauling
Project 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)
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www.euprim-net.eu