Animals in Research Gallery

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Animals in Research

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…
Animals in Research

pooltime

Socializing with other dogs, human interaction, and playtime are very important aspects in ensuring a good environment for research dogs. This is…
Animals in Research

Acclimating Mice to Cupped Handling

Mice are acclimated to handling to reduce stress and increase animal welfare. The cupped handling technique provides the opportunity for the mouse…
Animals in Research

Marmosets with Tech and Treats

These are common marmosets in the lobby of the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center. Dried fruit, grapes, peanuts and other "pocket treats" are…
Animals in Research

Outdoor Climbing and Wheel

Nonhuman primates, like these Rhesus macaques, are naturally curious. They spend a great deal of time foraging and investigating novel objects in…
Animals in Research

Research Rabbit Eating Parsley

Fresh vegetables and herbs, like parsley, are given to research rabbits both to enrich their environment and to provide nutrition.  This rabbit…
Animals in Research

Rhesus monkey with baby grooming another monkey

Infants to geriatric animals live with their extended family groups at the California National Primate Research Center.  This allows them to exhibit…
Animals in Research

Mouse Acclimated to Tunnel

Mice like to explore and rest in tunnels. Acclimating mice to tunnels also helps handle them in a way that is comfortable…
Animals in Research

Mother sheep with lambs

These lambs are part of a maternal nutrition study. Whenever possible, lambs involved in research studies are raised with their mothers where…
Animals in Research

Baby rhesus with toy

Two juvenile rhesus macaques explore their environment while being observed as part of an animal enrichment and behavior study at the Wisconsin…
Animals in Research

Socially housed rabbits

These rabbits are housed in social groups (four members per run). Research facilities strive to house animals in areas which allow them…
Animals in Research

Acclimating Mice to Tunnel Handling

The tunnel handling technique provides a safe, comfortable way for mice to be picked up and moved to another enclosure or procedure…
Animals in Research

Research Ferrets Co-nursing a Litter

Jills – female ferrets – are incredibly friendly and social and often sleep cuddled together. Research ferrets are housed so that they…
Animals in Research

Golden syrian hamster in a tube

Golden Syrian hamsters are susceptible to a virus called SV40 which is related to human-associated viruses in a family called polyomaviruses.  SV40…
Animals in Research

Naptime

Gus and Frank, like most dogs, enjoy interacting with each other. They live in the same enclosure and love to nap together.…
Animals in Research

Enrichment for rhesus mother and baby

A mother and juvenielle rhesus macaque climb a branch in their outdoor enclosure.  They are eating zucchini, one of many vegetables provided…
Animals in Research

Baby rhesus getting mini marshmallow treat

Environmental enrichment is an important part of caring for research animals. Research animals are provided with several types of enrichment to stimulate…
Animals in Research

Rhesus getting treat from his caregiver

Rhesus monkeys getting treats from their caregiver at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center. Healthy treats can include peanuts, grapes, apple slices,…
Animals in Research

Geriatric rhesus macaque

The colony of rhesus macaques at the California National Primate Research Center consists of infants to adults.  Their average life span in…
Animals in Research

Zebrafish embryos - 24-hours-old

Zebrafish embryos are transparent and they also develop quickly. These particular embryos are shown twenty-four hours after fertilization. Each week, a breeding…
Animals in Research

Pig playtime

Pigs are smart, social animals that like to nibble and root.  Balls and puzzle toys are provided to engage them in rooting…
Animals in Research

Love, Care, Progress: Inside a Nonhuman Primate Research Facility

Love, Care, Progress: Inside a Nonhuman Primate Research Facility highlights the critically important role of nonhuman primates in health research. This moving…
Animals in Research

Positive Reinforcement Training for Blood Draw

Garcia is participating in positive reinforcement training (PRT), also known as clicker training. PRT is a type of training in which animals…
Animals in Research

Marmoset in his hammock

This monkey is part of a family of common marmosets in the lobby of the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center. Adult common…
Animals in Research

Mom and baby rhesus on hammock

A rhesus macaque mom climbs into a hammock with her infant at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center. Females reach puberty at around…
Animals in Research

Hydro Checking His Lixit on Verbal Command

The most important task for animal caregivers is making sure animals are cared for properly.  This involves providing access to water.  Water…
Animals in Research

Taking a Dip in the Pool

Monkeys at the Oregon National Primate Research Center are provided with many types of environmental enrichment to simulate a natural environment.  In…
Animals in Research

Seraphina: Helping to Understand Navigation and Memory

This is Seraphina, a Rock Dove or pigeon.  She contributes to studies focused on understanding “homing” and how the brain supports navigation…
Animals in Research

Cupped Hands to Handle Mice

Handling mice with cupped hands has been shown to reduce stress. Animals that are stress-free allow scientists to gather accurate and more…
Animals in Research

Holly the Research Pig

Holly is a laid back pig who loves people.  She got a back scratch daily along with treats and was trained to…
Animals in Research

Elle the sheep

Meet Elle.  She is a Crossbred sheep who is pregnant with twins. Elle is part of a maternal nutrition study focused on…
Animals in Research

Hydro and His Chair Training

Rhesus macaque monkeys are important for studies to learn about the brain. Here you see Hydro, a male rhesus macaque, being trained…
Animals in Research

Exiting the Tunnel

Tunnels can be used to comfortably handle mice. Injections can also be provided in a stress-free manner using the tunnel. After the…
Animals in Research

Ultrasound of a pregnant Rhesus monkey that has been infected with Zika virus

Researchers perform a fetal ultrasound on a pregnant rhesus monkey to study the link between the Zika virus and birth defects.  They…
Animals in Research

Twirl

Twirl is a rat within a training colony at a research facility.  Her job is to help researchers become comfortable around rats…
Animals in Research

Sophie the Cat

Cats like Sophie help researchers study the molecular causes for heart failure. Almost 6 million people in the US have heart failure…
Animals in Research

Cat Kisses

Housing for these cats includes blankets, raised beds, scratching posts, and toys. The cats enjoy playing with each other and especially love…
Animals in Research

Groot Having His Nails Trimmed

Groot is a male Hamadryas baboon at the Oregon National Primate Research Center.  His fingernails were becoming too long resulting in accidental…
Animals in Research

Lith Checking His Water Lixit with a Flashlight Cue

In this video clip, Lith, a male rhesus macaque monkey, is trained to participate in a twice-daily husbandry task by following a…
Animals in Research

Japanese shrew

This Japanese shrew is helping to treat Congenital Sucrase-Isomaltase Deficiency (CSID). He eats a special diet that was also fed to his…
Animals in Research

Baby titi monkey

This is a baby titi monkey with her father. Titi monkeys are highly social animals and live in family groups that include…
Animals in Research

Socially Housed Rabbits in Tunnels

Rabbits in this research facility are socially housed in runs with paper bedding, tunnels, dividers, toys, and treats, providing them with opportunities…
Animals in Research

Research Sheep Colony

Sheep thrive in social groups of at least five members. Research facilities strive to design housing that best meets the needs of…
Animals in Research

Guinea pig with caretaker

Guinea pigs are an excellent model for studying human hearing mechanisms because of the similarities in both outer and inner ear structures.…
Animals in Research

Mouse Igloos to Promote Natural Behaviors and Safe Social Housing

Plastic igloos, such as the one pictured here, provide mice the opportunity to carry out natural behaviors like concealing themselves. They also…
Animals in Research

Zebrafish embryos - 30-hours-old

Embryonic development takes place rapidly. It is also a key area of study during drug safety testing. This photo shows thirty-day-old zebrafish…
Animals in Research

Mouse Exam

Mice are checked every day to ensure good health. This is done daily by observing the animals through the clear cage. During…
Animals in Research

Rhesus macaque drinking water

Monkeys like this one are provided with fresh water and a variety of foods to ensure optimal health.  Their housing areas are…
Animals in Research

Titi Monkey (Callicebus cupreus) Colony at the California National Primate Research Center

The California National Primate Research Center (CNPRC) is home to the nation’s only active breeding colony of South American titi monkeys (Callicebus…
Animals in Research

Beagle Playing with Kong

Beagles have been important for many medical advancements, from understanding body systems and disease processes to the development of new medicines and…
Animals in Research

Touchscreen Research Method

The Oregon National Primate Research Center is currently evaluating various forms of research methods to improve traditional cognitive testing. This Rhesus macaque…
Animals in Research

Shrew in a tube

This Japanese shrew lives in a large shoe box cage, with many tubes and nesting material for him to find shelter. He…
Animals in Research

Sadie the Research Cat

Sadie is part of a research study to develop more effective analgesics for cats. There are very few analgesics approved for cats…
Animals in Research

Monkey Enrichment for Indoor Housing

Monkeys are given enrichment such as toys, swings, climbing structures and other items to increase their behavioral diversity. Many of these objects…
Animals in Research

Moose and Jack

Moose and Jack are on a study to help researchers find effective treatments for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a debilitating genetic disorder found…
Animals in Research

Playtime

Dogs in research are provided with a variety of toys and human interaction. These dogs are provided with stuffed toys during supervised…
Animals in Research

Acclimating Mice to Humans

Ensuring mice are comfortable when handling is important for the mouse and for the science. Mice, like other animals, respond well to…
Animals in Research

Happy Dogs

You can tell a dog is happy by their wagging tails. Attention to good animal welfare for dogs is not only important…
Animals in Research

Husbandry Staff Providing Enrichment for Rhesus Monkeys

Here a husbandry technician is providing food enrichment to rhesus macaques in their corral. This kind of positive interaction between monkeys and…
Animals in Research

Baboon Playground

These baboons are needed as a model for a variety of studies, including research focused on understanding the genetics of complex diseases,…
Animals in Research

A Geriatric Wing for Marmosets

Texas Biomed’s Southwest National Primate Research Center most recently invested $2.5 million to renovate a 12,000-square-foot building to be dedicated exclusively for…
Animals in Research

Gentle Encouragement

When using tunnels to handle mice, the animals are acclimated to the tunnel and gloved hands. Once acclimated, mice are then gently…
Animals in Research

Minipigs Foraging in Their Pen

Minipigs needed for research are fed on the floor so that they can root and forage for their feed using their snout. …
Animals in Research

Rabbits enjoying human interaction

These rabbits enjoy human interaction. When technicians come into the room, the rabbits move to the front of the pen to receive…
Animals in Research

Playtime for Amos and Tony

Amos and Tony are research dogs enjoying their playtime in the hallway outside of their housing room. They are roommates and love to…
Animals in Research

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…
Animals in Research

Monkey play yard

Monkeys of all ages like to climb and play in the children's play structures installed in their housing areas.  The bright colors…
Animals in Research

Square Tunnel

Tunnels allow mice to carry out natural behaviors like hiding and climbing. Some tunnels are square, making it easier for mice to…
Animals in Research

Rabbits sharing a food bowl

Rabbits are social animals and live well in groups, especially if they are raised together as youngsters. The facility that houses these…
Animals in Research

Transporting a Mouse using Cupped Handling

One way to ensure a positive experience for mice in research is to use the cupped handling technique when transporting them to…
Animals in Research

Love, Care, Progress

Love, Care, Progress: Research Involving Dogs is the inaugural video in the Love, Care, Progress series, focused on the important role of…
Animals in Research

Love Letters Series - Brick in the Wall

Brick in the Wall (2017) is part of the Love Letter Series which connects the inspiring and impactful stories of patients’ lives…
Animals in Research

Titi Monkeys

The California National Primate Research Center is home to the only active South American titi monkey breeding colonies in the world. The…
Animals in Research

Colony of rhesus macaques

These are rhesus macaques housed at the California National Primate Research Center.  In the wild, and at the Center, these monkeys live…
Animals in Research

Monkey with Halloween pumpkins

Monkeys at the California National Primate Research Center enjoy Halloween pumpkins.
Animals in Research

Monkey Eating Oranges

Credit: Photo by Clem Spalding, Courtesy of Texas Biomedical Research Institute
Animals in Research

Dash the birthday boy

Atopic dermatitis (eczema) is a disorder that causes itchy, red, cracked skin that is also prone to infections and thickening. Currently there…
Animals in Research

Baby Rat Health Check

All research animals, from tiny fish to curious monkeys,  receive daily health checks. Pictured here are two baby rats being evaluated by…
Animals in Research

Beignet the Rhesus Macaque and Positive Reinforcement

Positive reinforcement is used to train research animals to participate in essential studies. Here you see Beignet, a male rhesus macaque monkey,…
Animals in Research

Pony Selfie Break

A pony named Memory is helping researchers develop treatments for osteoarthritis. She’s also involved in a study to better understand the healing…
Animals in Research

Tunnel Time

Mice are social species, like to make nests and hide. Mice in research are housed with other mice and provided with tunnels…
Animals in Research

Ferret for Research Naps with Her Kits in the Nest

Ferrets spend 75% of their day sleeping, but are very active when awake. They like to explore, forage, play, hide, rest, and…
Animals in Research

Marmoset with a Technician

Research technician prepares a pregnant female marmoset for an ultrasound at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center.  Because they are acclimated to careful handling…
Animals in Research

Monkey housing facility

These outdoor enclosures house monkeys that are on active research studies. They are socially housed and receive many types of enrichment to…
Animals in Research

Mouse on shower ring

This mouse is on a study to help prevent heart attacks. He lives in a shoebox cage with three other mice. His…
Animals in Research

Mouse Returned to Home Cage via Tunnel

When changing or transporting a mouse back to its home cage after a procedure, tunnels help to reduce stress. The mouse is…
Animals in Research

Peanut Taking a Break

Peanut is a dog with a naturally-occurring form of muscular dystrophy. He is resting with his research technician after a round of…
Animals in Research

Afi Closes the Door to His Chair

Afi, a male rhesus macaque monkey, is being trained to voluntarily enter into a chair then close the door behind himself.  The…
Animals in Research

Mice with "good cholesterol" gene

These mice are part of a study to help understand how HDL cholesterol, “the good cholesterol,"protects people from heart attacks. They are…
Animals in Research

Trainer and Rhesus Macaque Colony

This is the Oregon National Primate Research Center Nonhuman Primate Training Specialist.  She is training a monkey, Finch, in a group to…
Animals in Research

Zebrafish Tank

Zebrafish are vertebrates that share similar developmental features with humans. They are powerful models for studying early development, given that their eggs…
Animals in Research

Cat Housing

Cat housing takes into consideration their social, psychological and behavioral needs. Cats do well in compatible social groups with the ability to…
Animals in Research

Handling Hamsters

Hamsters involved in research are gently handled by animal caretakers on a regular basis so they can grow accustomed to human interaction.…
Animals in Research

Father caring for infant

This is a father and infant titi monkey.  These monkeys live in monogamous family groups that consist of the mother, father and…
Animals in Research

Zebrafish and Anti-Cancer Drugs

Cancer is a complicated, devastating disease that has affected many lives.  New cancer treatments are continually developed because cancer cells change and…
Animals in Research

Family of monkeys with Halloween pumpkins

A family of research monkeys enjoy some Halloween pumpkins.  Seasonal fruits and vegetables are provided both as nutrition and as enrichment.  The…
Animals in Research

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…
Animals in Research

A Boy's Best Friend

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a debilitating genetic condition that affects 1 in every 3,500-5,000 boys born worldwide. Golden retrievers have a spontaneously…
Animals in Research

Acclimating Mice to Tunnel Handling

The tunnel handling technique provides a safe, comfortable way for mice to be picked up and moved to another enclosure or procedure…
Animals in Research

Seven-day-old zebrafish larvae

A zebrafish larva is an immature form of an adult fish. In this photo, you see a seven-day-old zebrafish larvae, around the…
Animals in Research

Positive reinforcement for bunny checks

These rabbits are involved in research aimed at preventing fluid build-up in the chest, which happens in humans and animals battling certain…
Animals in Research

Mice in Vaccine Research

Mice are the most common species involved in vaccine research. Of course, a mouse is not a human, but researchers are very…
Animals in Research

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…
Animals in Research

A Home for Louie

Louie the hound is adopted after he completes his work as an asthma study subject. Robert J. Adams, DVM, Associate Provost for…
Animals in Research

Love Letter Series - Liviya

Liviya (2016) is part of the Love Letter Series which connects the inspiring and impactful stories of patients’ lives and legacies with animal-based research.…
Animals in Research

Immunodeficient mouse with caretaker

Immunodeficient mice, like this one, need specialized care to ensure their health is not compromised. They are important for several research areas…
Animals in Research

Noel the mouse

Mice are one of the most common animals needed for research.  Most mice do not usually get individual names...but sometimes a technician…
Animals in Research

Infant rhesus with stuffed toy

This infant rhesus monkey is being held by a member of the primate services staff at the California National Primate Research Center. …
Animals in Research

Exercise Time

Dogs love to run and play. This dog is housed with another dog with plenty of room to run and play. Safe…
Animals in Research

Ernest Loves His Head Scratched

Ernest is a ram and father to lambs needed for a maternal nutrition study. He lives in the same flock room as…
Animals in Research

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…
Animals in Research

Fourteen-day-old zebrafish larva

Zebrafish larvae are raised from eggs to eventually become breeding adult fish that provide embryos for research studies. The transparent bodies of…
Animals in Research

Guinea pig in a tube

Guinea pigs naturally love to hide. This guinea pig is housed with others who like to hang out in PVC tubing.  Covered…
Animals in Research

Marmosets and Zika

Marmosets were a critical model for understanding the effects of Zika infections on pregnant mothers.  In mid-2018, six national primate research centers…

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