Wake Forest offers primate research funding

The Wake Forest Primate Signature Program is soliciting applications for small feasibility studies.

The Primate Signature Program's mission is to provide funds, monkeys, expertise, and infrastructure for feasibility studies that advance the CTSA network's translational research by the use of monkeys.

Wake Forest has been a primate resource since 1961, with specific expertise in guiding investigators in the development and application of nonhuman primates to diseases of human relevance. The Program maintains the Vervet Research Colony (VRC), which is the most highly characterized U.S. monkey population relative to pedigree, phenotype and genotype. This colony consists of approximately 300 Caribbean-origin African green monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops), that are breeding and span neonatal to geriatric ages. The colony is managed to optimize studies related to aging, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and neonatal health.

Each year we provide funds for feasibility studies to assist investigators interested in exploring an idea using our primate resources. Again this year, we are using an online process for applying for these funds.

Interested investigators must provide a letter of interest (LOI) by March 17, 2017 for awards totaling $5,000 to $12,000. We have found that awards of this size are sufficient for initial investigations and will be conducted at Wake Forest with significant technical and faculty support. Funds will be made available in May and must be expended by the end of March 2018.

Complete instructions for preparing and submitting an LOI may be accessed at the following link, Letter of Intent. Decisions concerning the LOI will be made by March 27. The investigators selected to submit a full application will be provided with the appropriate submission link with complete instructions.