We believe in hands on experience; therefore, students will actively participate in all phases of pathology, including performing daily nonhuman primate necropsies and observing clinical and anatomic pathology laboratory procedures, all while researching, developing and drafting a manuscript for publication. The goal is that they will become experienced at performing necropsies, recognize normal and abnormal findings, and learn about what is required to manage/oversee anatomic and clinical pathology laboratories. Students will also attend weekly pathology rounds that include veterinary pathologists from the San Antonio area and working/observe daily animal colony activities.
The Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC) is located on the campus of the Texas Biomedical Research Institute, its host institution. The SNPRC maintains approximately 2,500 nonhuman primates, primarily baboons, macaques, marmosets, and chimpanzees. It maintains breeding populations of baboons, rhesus macaques, and common marmosets. Special, and in some cases unique, strengths of the SNPRC are a wide variety of primate species to meet diverse research needs; the largest pedigreed and genotyped population of nonhuman primates available for genetic research; research opportunities with chimpanzees; ABSL-3 and ABSL-4 facilities; and research emphasis and expertise on gene discovery for common chronic diseases, development of vaccines, drugs for infectious disease, and stem cell biology. The Center also has internal research efforts focused on genomics, metabolic disease, infectious disease, and behavior. The pathology department provides diagnostic and research, anatomic and clinical pathology support for the SNPRC and TxBiomed. Although clinical care is not performed by the pathology section, we have a large clinical component at the SNPRC and students MAY have opportunities (time permitting) to shadow occasionally. The below comments are included to provide a better description of the facilities that pathology supports. Pathology is part of the Veterinary Resources and Research Support unit of the SNPRC, which includes nine veterinarians: the Associate Director, the Assistant Director, five clinical veterinarians, and two veterinary pathologists; two Ph.D. level staff scientists; and several research coordinators and project managers. Additionally, the unit employs 10 supervisors, 30 veterinary research technicians and 32 animal caretakers who care for 2,494 nonhuman primates (census as of May 1, 2013), of which 1,510 are baboons, 528 are rhesus macaques, 139 are chimpanzees, 146 are common marmosets, and 171 are other species. The medical and technical staffs provide a wide variety of observational procedures and experimental manipulations of animals in support of research projects conducted by scientists based at the SNPRC and collaborating investigators based at other institutions. The group also conducts research concerned with health problems in primate colonies and surveys for unique clinical conditions that may lead to new models of human disease. Animals are housed in 59 buildings and two 6-acre corrals. Special facilities include two hospitals, three clinics, two surgical suites, ultrasound and X-ray laboratories, DEXA imaging room, two necropsy rooms, a histology laboratory, a clinical pathology laboratory, a Biosafety Level 2 suite, and an Animal Biosafety Level 3 (ABSL-3) facility. An ABSL-4 facility which is part of the TxBiomed Department of Virology and Immunology is also available for SNPRC research projects.
Again, we emphasize hands on experience. Students will be doing, not just observing. Work schedule is roughly 40 hours per week, standard 8-5, however students will likely continue work on their manuscript during their evenings and weekends.