Southwest National Primate Research Center and Texas Biomed receive continued full accreditation from lab animal care association

SAN ANTONIO (August 11, 2021) – The Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC) and Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas Biomed) have received a continuation of their full accreditation from the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC International).

“The Council commends you and the staff for providing and maintaining an excellent program of laboratory animal care and use,” AAALAC’s Council on Accreditation wrote in its accreditation letter to Texas Biomed and SNPRC last month.

Texas Biomed and SNPRC house small rodents and about 2,500 nonhuman primates, which played critical roles in pre-clinical development of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and Regeneron’s monoclonal antibody therapeutic in 2020. The results of these studies supported company efforts to gain emergency use authorization and start saving lives worldwide. Texas Biomed continues to partner with dozens of companies and federal agencies to build understanding of SARS-CoV-2 and its variants, and test the diagnostics, devices, vaccines and therapies vital for combatting the ongoing pandemic.

AAALAC is an international, nonprofit organization that inspects research programs involving animals to ensure organizations not only meet minimum regulatory requirements, but go above and beyond in the care and use of animals. More than 1,000 organizations around the world voluntarily participate in AAALAC’s programs.

Full accreditation is the highest level of recognition from AAALAC. The letter noted that SNPRC and Texas Biomed’s research program conform with AAALAC International standards and highlighted several areas of excellence. The Council cited the “strong institutional commitment to a dynamic program, evidenced in part by the recent facility renovations and recruitment and retention of experienced and credentialed staff.” It went on to praise the team of dedicated researchers, veterinary staff, behaviorists, trainers and animal care specialists for “healthy and extremely well cared for animals.”

“Our staff is incredibly passionate, knowledgeable and dedicated to ensuring the best for the animals in our care,” said SNPRC’s attending veterinarian Diana Scorpio, DVM, MPH, DACLAM. “We are proud our continued efforts to provide excellent animal care have been recognized by the leading experts in animal welfare in science.”

SNPRC, located on the Texas Biomed campus, is one of seven National Primate Research Centers in the country. It houses a unique combination of animal models critical for biomedical research, including specific pathogen-free rhesus macaques, the nation’s largest baboon colony and largest population of geriatric marmosets. The animals have contributed to numerous medical advancements over the years, including the development of the neonatal ventilator, drugs for diabetes, high blood pressure and Hepatitis C, and most recently, vaccines and therapies against COVID-19.

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About the Southwest National Primate Research Center at Texas Biomed

Texas Biomed is one of the world’s leading independent biomedical research institutions dedicated to advancing health worldwide through innovative biomedical research focused on protecting the global community from the threats of infectious diseases. The Institute is home to the Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC) and provides broad services in primate research. SNPRC contributes to a national network of National Primate Research Centers (NPRCs) with specialized technologies, capabilities and primate resources, many of which are unique to the SNPRC. The Center also serves investigators around the globe with research and technical procedures for collaborative projects. For more information on Texas Biomed, go to www.TxBiomed.org or for more information on SNPRC, visit www.SNPRC.org.