Featured Studies
Stem Cell Implants Improve Monkeys’ Grip After Spinal Cord Injury
Thousands of axons grew from the transplants and connected to damaged primate tissue, the first such demonstration in primates.
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Featured Studies
Newly discovered brain network offers clues to social cognition
Scientists call our ability to understand another person’s thoughts—to intuit their desires, read their intentions, and predict their behavior—theory of mind. It’s an essential human trait, one that is crucial to effective social interaction. But where did it come from? Working with rhesus macaque monkeys, researchers in Winrich Freiwald’s Laboratory…
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Ferret
Ferrets are important models for peptic ulcer disease, carotenoid metabolism, cystic fibrosis, and drug emesis screening due to some anatomical and physiological similarities with humans. They have also contributed to cardiovascular research, neural development and visual system studies, skeletal research, pediatric endotracheal intubation training, and the investigation of some types…
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Rhesus macaque
Rhesus macaque monkeys are an important animal model due to their anatomical and physiological similarities to humans. Many benefits to human health would not have been possible without these special animals, including the development of life-saving vaccines such as polio, smallpox, and rabies. Effective treatments for HIV/AIDS have been created because of research…
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Rat
Rats have long been a valuable model in research to answer many questions about physiology, immunology, pharmacology, toxicology, nutrition, behavior, and learning. They have contributed to medical advances for obesity, diabetes and cancer, as well as those for cardiovascular, neurological, inflammatory and immune mediated diseases.
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Monkey in imaging
Imaging technologies have greatly reduced the number of animals needed for research. In the past, animals would have had to be euthanized in order to examine internal organs while today imaging allows visualization and study of what was previously not possible. Here an anesthetized marmoset monkey is being prepared to…
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Marmoset MRI
Researchers view a marmoset’s MRI as part of an aging study to explore links between energy metabolism and neural function. Diseases related to aging are serious concerns for the world's rapidly expanding population of older adults. Some of these include: Type 2 diabetes, many cancers, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, obesity, metabolic syndrome,…
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Zebrafish and Spinal Cord Regeneration
Researchers recently discovered a clue to how zebrafish self-heal spinal cord injuries. Damaged cells secrete a special growth factor that is required for regeneration in these animals. Humans have a similar growth factor, but human spinal cords do not heal when severed. Further investigation with zebrafish may lead to the…
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Marmosets and Marshmallows
All nonhuman primates in research are provided access to enhanced care, including social, behavioral and nutritional enrichment. They often receive fruit and vegetables in addition to their traditional chow diet, and many times, the animals will receive treats like marshmallows. Proper enrichment is critical to ensuring the animals are well…
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Pigeons and Perches
Male and female Rock Doves (pigeons) in this research facility raise their babies together in a large, open, indoor aviary. The aviary includes perches, swings, water baths, nest bowls, and foraging opportunities to stimulate the birds' natural behaviors. Parents will hatch one to three squabs (baby pigeons) on average. Both…
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