Mission
The mission at the Nonhuman Primate Reagent Resource (NHPRR) is to facilitate the optimal use of nonhuman primate models in biomedical research by identifying, developing, characterizing and producing reagents for monitoring or modulating immune responses.
Here at the NHPRR, we distribute unique, nonhuman primate-specific antibodies for in vitro diagnostics. We also develop and produce primate recombinant antibodies for in vivo cell depletion or modulating immune responses, and maintain nonhuman primate reference cell lines and immunoglobulins for macaque monkeys and other primate species.
Background
The NHPRR started at Keith Reimann's laboratory in the Division of Viral Pathogenesis at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, where several researchers were developing and utilizing nonhuman primate models to study AIDS pathogenesis and vaccines. Reimann's laboratory has maintained an online database of immunologic reagent cross reactivity with different nonhuman primate species since 1996.
In 1999, a landmark study was published on Science describing the use of a mouse-human chimeric monoclonal antibody to achieve selective elimination of CD8+ lymphocytes from monkeys. This became our first product.
Control of viremia in simian immunodeficiency virus infection by CD8+ lymphocytes
Schmitz et al., Science, Feb 1999. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.283.5403.857
In 2000, a grant from NCRR funded and established the NHPRR. Our resource then developed the first monoclonal antibodies for in vivo depletion of immune cell subpopulations in nonhuman primates.
In 2004, the scope of the NHPRR was expanded through a contract awarded from NIAID to include the development of new in vivo reagents and production of additional reagents for in vitro diagnostics.
In 2013, the NHPRR was transferred to MassBiologics, a business unit of the University of Massachusetts Medical School with 125-years of experience manufacturing biologicals.
In 2018, Diogo Magnani and Kathleen Engelman assumed the leadership of NHPRR.
In 2020, Kathleen Engelman started work on additional NHP species, the 'Neotropical Primate Reagent Resource' (a resource that is also affillitated with the UMass Chan Medical School).
In 2023, the NHPRR inaugurated a new laboratory at the Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives (MBI). The resource was the first laboratory of a the brand new Scaleup Pilot Biomanufacturing Center.
Access
Reagents developed through this resource are available to all scientists utilizing nonhuman primate models with priority given to U.S. federally-funded investigators. To view reagents currently available, visit the Resource Reagents section of this website. Actual cost of production is recovered for some reagents. All reagents are for research use only.
Support of Nonhuman Primate Research Programs.
The Nonhuman Primate Reagent Resource develops, characterizes, manufactures, and distributes reagents to support monkey models of human disease through NIAID and ORIP sponsorship. Over two decades, the need for this program has been confirmed by a yearly growth in activity since its inception. In the recent years we registered the highest number of requests in the program history. We support hundreds laboratories and NIH grants or programs. In addition to the reagent distribution, we have develop new antibodies specific to monkey antigens upon requests from customers! We hope you find our reagents useful in your research. Please don't hesitate to reach us!