The resemblance of nonhuman primates and humans in evolution, genetic makeup, physiology, organ function and behavior pROVides unique opportunities in biomedical and behavioral research to better understand and impROVe human health and well-being. This makes the use of nonhuman primates critical and indispensable in medical research and pre-clinical trials to answer fundamental science questions that can lead to preventions, better treatments and cures to benefit the health of humans and animals alike.
Recognizing the value of nonhuman primates in indigenous biomedical research, Taiwan's National Science Council has commissioned the NARL's National Laboratory Animal Center (NLAC) to engage in human resource development and to enhance the long-awaited national research capability in nonhuman primate study. Toward this end, recently the NARL-NLAC has entered a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Yerkes National Primate Research Center of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, on the comprehensive training of nonhuman primate research scientists from Taiwan.
The Yerkes Research Center, established in 1930, is one of the eight US primate research centers funded by the US National Institutes of Health. This multidisciplinary research center endowed with active researchers and equipped with state-of-the-art facilities is recognized as one of the international leaders in biomedical and behavioral research. There is much to gain by cooperating with the Yerkes Research Center.
As one of many important benefits, the MOU stipulates the training program, held by the Yerkes Research Center, for the trainers from Taiwan. And the NARL-NLAC is to dispatch qualified primate researchers in sequence to the Yerkes Research Center for training. In this regard, the first consignment of the trainees includes two veterinarians and two technicians specializing in nonhuman primates. In the future, the trainees will be drawn from the research universities. Upon the end of training, these trained trainers will retu to Taiwan and impart the know-how and research experience acquired at the Yerkes Research Center to fellow researchers.
On this initiative, Dr. Wen-Hua Chen, the NARL president, commented that the NARL-NLAC is to take an active part in mustering academic institutions and industries in Taiwan to invest in nonhuman primate research and its related biomedical fields for new insight and explicit outcomes and impacts in diverse fields of study.
