Leadership and Expertise
The NBRI has six senior staff veterinarians who are ACLAM board-certified. Moreover, all our veterinarians have each acquired a vast amount of nonhuman primate experience, totaling more than 70 years of combined experience and knowledge in nonhuman primate medicine and research support.
The NBRI veterinarians are supported by a staff of highly trained Animal Health Technicians (AHT) with approximately 140 years of cumulative experience and six veterinary students. The AHTs are critical to the function of our unit and essential for the provision of medical care to animals in need. They have expertise in animal assessment and triage, wound management, fluid therapy, radiology, anesthesia, surgical support, and dentistry. They are also responsible for communication with investigators, collection of samples for research support, coordination of animal relocations with behavioral management, upkeep of treatment areas throughout the facility, and coordination of routine maintenance of medical equipment. The AHT staff is onsite 10-12 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year. As a team, they work to ensure timely and thorough medical care to every animal in the colony and provide project support, as needed. The team manages a caseload of up to 300 animals per day.
Laboratory animal medicine (LAM) covers the clinical care of animals used in teaching and research, including nonhuman primates, to improve and advance medicine and science for both humans and animals. LAM veterinarians work at the interface between clinical care and research support, and act as advocates for all research animals. The American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM) sets standards for certifying veterinary specialists through professional development, education, and research. The majority of the NBRIians have been trained in an ACLAM-accredited LAM residency program.
The goal of the ACLAM training program is to maintain the highest quality and consistency of LAM training in the field of veterinary medicine. Participation also strengthens an institution’s ability to prepare trainees for the ACLAM examination and, subsequently, for careers as board-certified LAM veterinarians. Preparation for the LAM specialty board examination takes a tremendous investment in time, dedication, and effort, and requires personal and professional sacrifice, determination, meticulous preparation, and perseverance.