Transgenic Huntington's Disease Monkey Resources

April 1, 2016

Yerkes Resources Available to Help Researchers

Media Contacts

Kay Lee Summerville, ksumm02@emory.edu

Transgenic Huntington’s Disease Monkey Resource (THDMR) Mission: To facilitate basic and preclinical applications of the transgenic Huntington’s disease (HD) monkey model to advance scientific knowledge and the discovery of a cure for HD. Supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Transgenic Huntington’s Disease Monkey Resource (THDMR) is located at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University.

LONGITUDINAL BIOMATERIALS BANKS AND RESOURCES

Biomaterial Bank: The THDMR maintains a biomaterial repository with a variety of longitudinal biomaterials Yerkes personnel have collected from a cohort of transgenic Huntington’s disease monkeys (x4) and age-matched control monkeys (x4). These first generation HD monkeys progressively developed HD. The available biomaterials represent infancy to adulthood and span prodromal to symptomatic stage (Yang et al., Nature 2008; Kocerha et al., BMC Neuroscience 2013; Mol Brain 2014; Chan et al., BMC Neuroscience 2014; PLoS One 2015).

See below for a sampling of biomaterials available to the HD research community. Additional biomaterial information, including HD-monkey-derived pluripotent stem cells, such as ESCS, iPSCs, NPCs and MSCs, are also available.

Longitudinal Biomaterials

The available longitudinal biomaterials are:

• Plasma and serum                                   
• CSF
• Skin primary cultures                                   
• Lymphoblast cell lines

Longitudinal MRI Data

The available longitudinal MRI data are:

• T1/T2                                                           
• CBS
• DTI                                                           
• MRS

Postmortem Biomaterials

The available postmortem biomaterials available are:

• Serial brain sections                                   
• Snap frozen brain samples
• Peripheral tissues                                   
• Peripheral tissue cultures

Biomaterials Request: To request biomaterials, investigators should submit a letter of intent that includes:

• a brief summary (no more than 500 words) on the proposed use of the biomaterials and participating investigators;
• the amount of biomaterials you are requesting (supply is limited); and
• your funding source/s.

RESEARCH PROPOSAL ASSISTANCE

Research Resources: To facilitate NIH research applications of HD monkey models in basic and preclinical studies, THDMR personnel are available to help investigators design research proposals and apply for funding.

Upon receipt of funding and IACUC approval, THDMR personnel are also available to help conduct studies at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center. For approved applications, THDMR can provide up to 3 second-generation HD monkeys during a two-year time frame.

Request for Assistance: To request research proposal design assistance, investigators should submit a letter of intent with a 500-word summary that includes project title, aims and goals of the proposed study. To request on-site research assistance, please send a copy of the grant that has been funded, noting the specific research to be conducted at Yerkes. 

Review criteria: The THDMR steering committee will review each letter of intent to determine alignment with the THDMR mission. Scientific merit and feasibility are key review components.

All letters of intent as well as requests for more information should be directed to:

Kay Lee Summerville