Researchers at Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas Biomed) have made significant progress in the fight against tuberculosis (TB) and HIV co-infection. The team, led by Professor Smriti Mehra, Ph.D., has demonstrated that a promising TB therapy does not interfere with combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) used to treat HIV. 

A Critical Breakthrough 

Tuberculosis remains a global health concern, causing over 1.3 million deaths annually. For individuals with HIV, TB poses an even greater threat due to their compromised immune systems. The new therapy targets an immune system protein called IDO (Indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase), which normally suppresses immune responses. 

How It Works 

By inhibiting IDO, the therapy aims to enhance the body’s ability to fight TB. This approach has already shown success in cancer treatments and has demonstrated improved control of TB when used alongside antibiotics. 

Safe for HIV Patients 

The study, conducted with nonhuman primates at the Southwest National Primate Research Center with both TB and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), revealed that the IDO inhibitor does not interfere with cART. This is crucial for developing a treatment that can help patients battling both HIV and TB. 

Next Steps 

Researchers plan to study how the inhibitor performs when used in conjunction with both antibiotics and cART together – the standard treatment regimen for patients with HIV and active TB. Long-term studies are also needed to confirm the absence of unintended side effects. 

Potential for Rapid Approval 

The IDO inhibitor is already FDA-approved for use in cancer patients, which could accelerate its potential approval for TB/HIV treatment compared to developing an entirely new drug. This research represents a significant step forward in addressing the challenges of TB and HIV co-infection, offering hope for more effective treatments in the future.

In medical research, discoveries come from persistence, creativity, and new angles.  

At the forefront of the endeavor to develop an HIV vaccine is Marie-Claire Gaudin, PhD, a professor at Texas Biomedical Research Institute and the Southwest National Primate Research Center. She has dedicated over a decade to crafting an innovative vaccine strategy that aims to halt virus as it enters the body. With support from NIH, including a recently awarded $3.8 million grant, Dr. Gauduin’s visionary approach is paving the way for a new era in HIV prevention. 

The Quest for an Effective HIV Vaccine 

The challenge posed by HIV is two-fold: its rapid spread through the body within days of infection and its ability to reach peak viral levels within two weeks. Traditional vaccine development has struggled to keep pace with the virus’s swift assault on the immune system. Enter Dr. Gauduin’s idea: why not intercept HIV at the very point of entry before it infiltrates cells and establishes its stronghold? 

Dr. Gauduin reflects on her “aha” moment, saying, “I had this idea as a postdoc. I thought it had to be naïve because nobody was talking about it. It was obvious and simple; I thought someone would have already done it.” Little did she know that her seemingly straightforward insight would set the stage for a paradigm shift in vaccine design. 

Unveiling the Strategy 

Dr. Gauduin’s novel approach is laser-focused on the mucosal epithelium—the inner lining of the vagina and rectum, where HIV is most likely to breach the body’s defenses. The vaccine sparks the production of antibodies specifically within these regions, strategically positioning them to thwart the virus’s advance.  

Additionally, it is engineered to engage the basal cells—the foundational building blocks of the lining. These basal cells are pivotal in renewing the epithelial layer, ensuring the body’s natural defense mechanisms remain fortified. The vaccine, nestled within the basal cells, is then passed on to new cells as the old ones die off, establishing an ongoing barrier against HIV entry. 

A Masterstroke in Prevention 

The vaccine’s potency is further enhanced by its composition as a live attenuated vaccine. Unlike its predecessors, it’s constructed from HIV’s genetic code, meticulously modified to remove harmful components. While live attenuated vaccines have been successful for diseases like smallpox and yellow fever, HIV’s propensity to mutate has thwarted previous attempts. 

From Lab Triumphs to Real-world Impact 

Dr. Gauduin’s vaccine exhibited impressive results in early trials involving nonhuman primates, and her sights are now set on expanding these promising outcomes. The following research phase entails a larger group of animals; a necessary step to establish safety and efficacy benchmarks before embarking on human clinical trials. As the vaccine progresses, Dr. Gauduin is also investigating alternative delivery methods to optimize efficiency, a crucial consideration for eventual mass immunization efforts.  

National Primate Research Centers Prioritize Openness for Scientific Progress

At the forefront of biomedical and behavioral research are the seven National Primate Research Centers (NPRCs). They form a vital network dedicated to conducting and enabling groundbreaking research to improve human and animal health. Studies at the centers include development & aging, genetics & genomics, infectious disease, neuroscience & brain disorders, and reproduction & endocrinology. The NPRCs have been instrumental in driving discoveries crucial for overcoming health challenges and in helping the public understand the significance of research that involves animals.   

A Comprehensive Approach  

A priority of the NPRCs is to share information via local, regional and national outreach. Through a multifaceted approach, the NPRCs foster education and dialogue, ensuring openness about their research and the expert care of animals involved in NPRC research studies.   

From participating in local events to leveraging digital platforms, the NPRCs employ diverse strategies to make connections. NPRC.org provides the latest information for the public, and NPRCresearch.org, which is undergoing updates, ensures the scientific community has comprehensive information about the resources the NPRCs offer NIH-funded researchers. Through timely and engaging content, the NPRCs strive to explain the highly regulated research process and showcase their contributions to scientific progress.   

A Legacy of Excellence  

With a history spanning more than six decades, the NPRCs stand as pillars of scientific expertise and exemplars of public outreach. The U.S. Animal Research Openness initiative (USARO) recently featured information about the NPRCs’ outreach programs on the USARO website. This article provides encouragement for other research centers to follow the NPRC lead.   

A Future Filled with Accurate Information  

As the NPRCs continue to make scientific discoveries, their dedication to openness will continue to expand. The NPRCs believe openness helps empower individuals to make informed decisions, is critical to instilling confidence in scientific research and care of research animals, inspires future generations of scientists and ensures the public has accurate information about how research with animals is improving lives.  

Every day, the seven National Primate Research Centers (NPRCs) conduct and enable collaborative research studies to improve human and animal health. For more than five years now, we’ve been sharing our latest news and scientific advancements with you via NPRC.org and @NPRCnews (X), and there’s more coming your way. 

To ensure the NPRCs provide the topics of most interest to our readers and followers, we looked back at your favorite stories to help us move forward. Your top interests span behavior and psychology, infectious disease and neuroscience and brain disorders research. We will continue to share news that represents what you have most enjoyed, and we will also bring you information that reflects the breadth and depth of research across the NPRC network.   

We appreciate our readers and followers, and encourage you to take another look at your favorite blogs about NPRC research, to share the information with your family, friends and colleagues, and to continue connecting with us via NPRC.org, @NPRCnews and, now, on the new NPRC LinkedIn account. Via these resources, you’ll always be able to access the latest news on NPRC research that is helping people across generations and around the world live longer, healthier lives.   

Behavior and Psychology 

1. The Effects of Wildfire Smoke Exposure in Early Pregnancy 

A study by California NPRC and UC Davis researchers investigated the effects of wildfire smoke exposure on infant monkeys during early pregnancy. The study found that exposure led to increased inflammation, reduced stress response, memory deficits and a more passive temperament in the monkeys. The findings suggest environmental changes during pregnancy can have lasting effects on offspring.  

Infectious Disease 

2. A Deadly Relationship: Stopping the Progression of Tuberculosis in HIV Patients   

Researchers at the Southwest National Primate Research Center have discovered chronic immune activation in the lungs plays a crucial role in the progression of tuberculosis (TB) and HIV co-infection. This dysfunction hampers the body’s ability to fight off infections. The study suggests the need to develop treatments targeting chronic immune activation alongside antiretroviral therapy (ART). TB and HIV are global pandemics that reinforce each other, affecting a significant portion of the world’s population. The findings offer hope for improved treatment strategies in the next decade. 

3. New Possible Correlation Between Lyme Disease and Lewy Body Dementia  

At Tulane National Primate Research Center, researchers discovered intact spirochetes of Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, in the central nervous system of a 69-year-old woman who received multiple rounds of antibiotic treatment. The presence of this bacterium coupled with her persistent neurological decline raises the possibility of a correlation between Lyme disease and Lewy body dementia. This finding highlights the bacterium’s persistence despite targeted therapy and emphasizes the need for further research to comprehend its role in severe neurological conditions. 

4. Are DNA Vaccinations a Perennial Answer to the Flu?  

Researchers at the Washington National Primate Research Center are developing a universal flu vaccine that could protect against all strains of the influenza virus. Using a DNA vaccine administered through the skin, the team has achieved promising results in macaques, providing 100% protection against a previous flu virus. This approach could eliminate the need for annual flu shots and be quickly deployed during pandemics. The researchers believe this technology could also be effective against other viruses and outbreaks. 

Neuroscience & Brain Disorders 

5. Past Social Experiences May Affect Brain’s Response to Oxytocin

A study at the Emory (formerly Yerkes) National Primate Research Center and Emory University showed the response of neurons to oxytocin, a chemical involved in social bonding, can vary based on an individual’s past experiences. Using female prairie voles, the researchers examined the nucleus accumbens, a brain region related to pair bonding. They found that oxytocin reduced neuron firing before bonding and increased it afterward, when triggered. The study also revealed a connection between oxytocin signals and endocannabinoids, affecting defensive interactions. These findings provide insights into how prior experiences influence oxytocin’s impact on brain circuits. 

6. NPRC Study May Have Found Link That Causes Anxiety and Depression  

Researchers at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center and the University of Wisconsin-Madison have discovered brain pathways in juvenile monkeys that could contribute to anxiety and depression later in life. By studying the connections between specific brain regions, they found a correlation between synchronization and anxious temperament. These findings may lead to better treatment approaches and help identify gene alterations associated with anxiety. 

7. The Drinking Gene: Could Alcoholism Be Inherited?  

Research conducted at Oregon National Primate Research Center has identified a gene, GPR39, as a potential target for developing medication to prevent and treat alcoholism. By modifying protein levels encoded by this gene in mice, the researchers observed a significant reduction in alcohol consumption. They also found a link between alcohol and the activity of this gene. The study draws attention to the importance of cross-species approaches to identify drugs for treating alcohol use disorder. Further investigations are under way to determine if the same mechanism applies to humans. These findings offer potential insights for developing drugs to address chronic alcoholism and mood disorders. 

Zika is spread mainly through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito. And while many people infected with the Zika virus will only have mild symptoms, contracting Zika during pregnancy can lead to severe brain defects.  

 The 2015-2016 Zika outbreak in Brazil and other countries in the Americas caused a surge in miscarriages and a constellation of congenital disabilities, prompting the World Health Organization to declare a public health emergency of international concern. 

 While there has never been a vaccine or medicine to prevent Zika, a recent collaboration between Trudeau Institute, Texas Biomedical Research Institute’s Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC), and Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) demonstrated a vaccine candidate successfully prevented the virus from passing from mother to fetus during animal studies. 

 In-Jeong Kim, Ph.D., a viral immunologist at Trudeau Institute and the first paper author states, “Our proof-of-concept studies conducted at Trudeau and Texas Biomed show very promising results that the vaccine given before pregnancy will provide high levels of protection for mothers and babies.” 

 Testing pregnant women is highly restrictive due to ethical and safety reasons, which is why the Trudeau Institute and Texas Biomed team evaluated the vaccine in pregnant mice and marmosets. The results? More than 90% effectiveness in marmosets, making it a viable approach for countering the persistent threat of Zika in humans. 

Parkinson’s disease is a slowly progressive chronic neurologic condition, causing a gradual loss of the nerve cells producing the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain. While there are no standard diagnostic tests for Parkinson’s, the diagnosis is clinical and based on findings of a neurological exam and information provided by the patient. Tremors occur in about 70% of those living with Parkinson’s, typically appearing on one side of the body, in a hand or a foot, while relaxed or at rest.*

The primary and most potent medication used to treat Parkinson’s disease is Levodopa, which helps restore balance, reduce shaking, and manage other motor issues patients experience. Overall, this treatment is radically helpful for those suffering, but erratic involuntary movements often emerge as a side effect of this drug over time.

“Levodopa is amazing, it works like magic, but it has side effects. If we can eliminate these side effects, it could change the life of patients with Parkinson’s,” says Marcel Daadi, Ph.D., an associate professor at Texas Biomed and lead paper author.

Dyskinesia is a common side effect in patients with Parkinson’s disease. It is not a symptom of the disease itself. Still, it typically emerges about five years into taking Levodopa. And like human patients, primates develop Dyskinesia after receiving Levodopa.

A study commenced at Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas Biomed) to help make strides in the reduction of Dyskinesia in humans. During this time, Daadi and collaborators administered the compound PD13R (created by medicinal chemists at Temple University) to the marmoset animal model of Parkinson’s. When treated with PD13R, primates experienced relief from uncontrolled movements as their Dyskinesia dropped by more than 85%, a measurement made by with the help of wearable activity monitors.

*https://parkinsonrockies.org/live-well/diagnosis-and-symptoms/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA8vSOBhCkARIsAGdp6RTNBEB0jvY01T0sel6voKUxEkV3GrikEtZbWVghPiKl5jk1CToebVQaAvtIEALw_wcB

One of the few therapies currently available to treat patients with COVID-19 is REGEN-COV, a monoclonal antibody cocktail that combines two antibodies that can bind to and neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC) at Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas Biomed) worked with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc., maker of REGEN-COV, to test the effectiveness of the medication before it moved to human clinical trials. The result: the Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization for REGEN-COV as a treatment for mild to moderate COVID-19 patients as well as for patients at high-risk for severe COVID-19 after an exposure to the virus. 

SNPRC’s work began quite early during the pandemic. Texas Biomed has been a longtime collaborator with Regeneron, and the two organizations had just wrapped up work on a successful Ebola virus treatment as COVID-19 began to spread. 

That established relationship made it easy to team up on SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, explained Professor Ricardo Carrion, Jr., Ph.D., who co-leads the Disease Intervention & Prevention Program and directs high containment contract research at Texas Biomed. “We had the experience and processes in place for evaluating therapeutics in animal models of emerging diseases and understood what we needed to do to be successful in a short timeframe,” Carrion, Jr. said.

Within three months, SNPRC and Texas Biomed researchers had evaluated or established several different animal models for SARS-CoV-2, including rhesus macaques, transgenic mice and golden Syrian hamsters. The researchers tested the antibody cocktail for Regeneron in rhesus macaques. The data from these advanced, pre-clinical studies helped the candidate COVID-19 therapy move forward to clinical trials in people.  

Carrion, Jr. was not surprised the initial results, published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Science, showed the antibody cocktail was safe and effective. “They are a very professional company and very good at what they do,” he said. “Regeneron ensured that all the tests that could be done prior to moving to animals were done, so there was a high likelihood of this antibody cocktail succeeding.” 

As variants of SARS-CoV-2 emerged, SNPRC and Texas Biomed scientists continued to work with Regeneron to evaluate the lasting effectiveness of the cocktail, which was determined a resounding success. The study, published in the journal Cell, featured information from both human trials and hamster animal models of COVID-19. The animal models enabled researchers to gather precise insights in a highly controlled environment, which help explain what is observed in the human population.

Such teamwork drives scientific advancements and, in this case, has been critical to helping people who have COVID-19 overcome the virus.

There are approximately 29 million people in the U.S. with Type 2 Diabetes —a lifelong disease that prevents the body from using insulin correctly. While there is currently no cure for the disease, losing weight, eating well and exercising can help to manage it.

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, University Health and Texas Biomedical Research recently announced encouraging results following a minimally invasive procedure that dissolved abdominal fat in two Type 2 Diabetes patients. Doctors believe that removing the visceral fat will improve diabetes and slow down the arterial disease.

Before bringing the treatment to humans, doctors utilized the Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC) at Texas Biomedical Research Institute as the site of the large-animal studies. As it turned out, all of the animals treated with mesenteric visceral lipectomy technique, or MVL, survived without any complications, and all had remission of Type 2 Diabetes.

During MVL, a surgeon makes a small abdominal incision and uses a device to dissolve the glycoproteins that hold the fat together and then suctions out the fat without disrupting the blood vessels or surrounding tissues.

“This is important because the fat in our abdomen contains numerous blood vessels,” Richard Peterson, MD, said. “This technique allows the fat to be removed surgically without significant bleeding. Once the fat is loose, it is suctioned out.”

Read more diabetes research from the National Primate Research Centers (NPRCs) here.  

Note: The NPRCs will update this blog with our latest COVID-19 news.

Since beginning COVID-19 research in early 2020, NPRC researchers have made encouraging progress in efforts to better understand, diagnose, prevent and treat this novel disease. We’re committed to conducting and enabling research to end this global pandemic and to providing information so the public has ready access to our scientific results.

Our most recent COVID-19 news includes: 

• April 1, 2022: Tulane NPRC researchers show COVID-19’s lingering impacts on the brain
• March 17, 2022: SNPRC, Texas Biomed and research partners discover new, potent COVID-19 antibody cocktail

Below is even more information about our extensive and collaborative COVID-19 research:

Diagnostics:

• April 13, 2021: Wisconsin NPRC scientists explore the shifts in the genetic material of COVID-19 to expand the viral genome sequence
• February 25, 2021: Southwest NPRC helps people understand COVID-19 variants in this TX Biobytes podcast with virologist Dr. Jean Patterson
• February 9, 2021: Tulane NPRC unravels what makes people COVID-19 super-spreaders
• August 6, 2020: Yerkes NPRC awarded $4.1 million National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) grant to help predict COVID-19 disease severity and inform treatment decisions
• August 6, 2020: Wisconsin NPRC is collaborating on a simpler COVID-19 saliva-based test that could provide results in hours
• May 12, 2020: A Tulane NPRC study shows the virus can live in the air for more than 16 hours
• February 24, 2020: Scientists at Southwest NPRC organize a team of leading virologists, microbiologists, high containment lab experts and animal modeling researchers to study the virus 
• February 11, 2020: Wisconsin NPRC researchers form a coalition with interdisciplinary teams for the sole purpose of COVID-19 studies

Prevention:

• July 15, 2021: Yerkes NPRC researchers help produce COVID-19 vaccine that is easy to produce and cost-effective
• July 1, 2021: Yerkes NPRC researchers develop low-cost, low-dose COVID-19 vaccine candidate
• June 9, 2021: Wisconsin NPRC researchers will participate in a new pandemic prevention institute
• February 4, 2021: Yerkes NPRC researchers developed a COVID-19 vaccine that is safe and effective in animals models, easily adaptable to address variants and may be equally effective with a single dose. Hear directly from the lead researcher here (beginning at 23:03) and watch the latest update here.
• February 3, 2021: Tulane NPRC leads national research partnership to speed up COVID-19 vaccines and drug discoveries
• January 21, 2021: Wisconsin NPRC leads the call to thank researchers and animal care experts for making COVID-19 vaccines safe and effective
• December 19, 2020: California NPRC’s research shows “promising” results to develop a COVID-19 vaccine suitable for children
• November 24, 2020: Learn about the monkeys behind COVID-19 vaccines and how the NPRCs accelerated the pace of discovery based on their HIV/AIDS expertise
• November 9, 2020: Southwest NPRC researchers help Pfizer test COVID-19 vaccine in monkeys
• October 19, 2020: California NPRC researchers begin only established U.S. trial of a COVID-19 immunization for children
• September 9, 2020: Yerkes NPRC researcher discusses his COVID-19 vaccine work on the season 2 opener of “Your Fantastic Mind”
• July 21, 2020: California NPRC monkey study on early immune response to SAS-CoV-2 guides vaccine development
• July 20, 2020: Washington NPRC COVID-19 replicating RNA vaccine in development has advantages of safety, cost, scalability and storage
• July 6, 2020: California NPRC researcher awarded funding to optimize vaccines for most susceptible populations 
• June 9, 2020: Wisconsin NPRC’s gene sequencing leads to insights on transmission and vaccine development
• May 18, 2020: Yerkes NPRC awarded a two-year, $582,000 National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) grant to develop a vaccine
• April 6, 2020: Tulane NPRC scientists are awarded $10.3 million to test therapeutics and vaccines 
• April 2, 2020: Wisconsin NPRC partners with FluGen and Bharat Biotech to develop CoroFlu, a coronavirus vaccine

Treatments:

• November 3, 2021: California NPRC researchers show antibody treatment prevents inflammation in lungs and nervous system in macaques with SARS-CoV-2
• January 19, 2021: Tulane NPRC researchers identify potential animal model for studying severe COVID-19 infections
• December 10, 2020: Yerkes NPRC researchers show a well-known anti-inflammatory medication is remarkably effective in reducing the lung inflammation COVID-19 causes
• December 1, 2020: Tulane NPRC researchers say that while having a robust immune response to coronavirus may sound helpful, the opposite may be true
• November 19, 2020: Southwest NPRC receives Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grant to test the effectiveness of human monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to treat SARS-CoV-2 infection
• April 20, 2020: Tulane NPRC director, selected to serve on new National Institutes of Health (NIH) public-private collaboration in the fight against COVID-19
• March 26, 2020: Southwest NPRC researchers launch comprehensive research initiative to support drug development efforts by investigating multiple animal species and their responses to COVID-19

Additional NPRC COVID-19 News:

• November 10, 2021: California NPRC researchers suggest SARS-CoV-2 can enter the brain through the nose and affect neurons, potentially offering clues to Long COVID
• November 9, 2021: Tulane NPRC researchers help identify gaps in current knowledge and suggest opportunities for future SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 research
• February 23, 2021: The New York Times features NPRC COVID-19 research in this story (Note: may require log in)
• January 6, 2021: This conversation with a California NPRC infectious disease researcher provides information about the center’s COVID-19 research
• October 15, 2020: Texas Biomed faculty members appointed to national COVID-19 committees
• July 6, 2020: Tulane NPRC researchers find coronavirus can survive in air for hours
• June 2, 2020: Southwest NPRC researchers release study on animal models that best reflects the impact of COVID-19 on humans 
• May 18, 2020: A researcher at the Southwest NPRC writes a book to help kids understand COVID-19

Bookmark this page so you can easily return here for the latest NPRC COVID-19 research information. We’ve also compiled a list of resources here and provided links to previous NPRC COVID-19 news and national media stories here.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious disease that mostly affects the lungs, but can also cause damage to the kidneys, spine or brain. TB spreads from person to person through small droplets transferred via coughing and sneezing. Symptoms of TB include severe coughing for over three weeks, chest pain and coughing up blood or mucus.

Even after years of research, tuberculosis still remains one of the world’s deadliest diseases— especially in low-income countries. While TB related deaths have decreased by 30% globally, 1.4 million people died from it in 2019. Fortunately, researchers at the Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC) at Texas Biomedical Research Institute are getting closer to pinpointing a new way to treat and control TB.

“Single-cell RNAseq is a novel approach that has developed in the past three or four years. It’s an approach that allows us to look at the immune response more granularly, in higher resolution. We were able to identify an immune response to Mtb infection in single lung cells as the infection progressed to disease, in some cases, or was controlled in others,” stated Deepak Kaushal, Ph.D., director of SNPRC.

The study highlights that plasmacytoid dendritic cells, which sense infections in the body, overproduce Type I interferons—a response correlated with disease instead of control. This discovery gives scientists the information needed to alter vaccines.

Dr. Kaushal explains, “When we have a more precise understanding of how an infection develops, that knowledge can lead us to identify new drugs or therapies to treat disease and improve vaccines.”

Overall, the research being done by SNPRC may lead to finding a way to control and prevent TB. Learn more about our TB-related studies by visiting this link.