Division of Veterinary Medicine
Veterinary Medicine is at the heart of all that we do at the Tulane National Primate Research Center. Reproducible research results depend on physically and psychologically fit animals, and that requires a commitment to the highest standards in laboratory animal care, specialized for nonhuman primates.
Our veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and animal care and behavioral management personnel provide round-the-clock care for our research colony and includes daily health checks, annual examinations, fresh fruits and vegetables, environmental enrichment, behavioral management and more.
Our programs are designed to meet their species-specific needs and support their psychological well-being. This includes providing socialization similar to what is seen in wild populations, foraging opportunities, climbing structures, and positive reinforcement training to help facilitate animal care, veterinary procedures, and research.
The Division of Veterinary Medicine is responsible for all aspects of care, husbandry and management of the animal colonies. This responsibility includes the provision of clinical veterinary medical care, development and implementation of the nonhuman primate enrichment program, maintenance and development of the animal records database, research support, and collection of biological specimens.
The division administers the veterinary resources program through eight individual units that work in conjunction to accomplish division objectives. The units are: the Office of the Chair of Veterinary Medicine, Clinical and Research Medicine, Collaborative Research, Animal Resources, Behavioral Management, Compliance and Training, and the Genetics and Genome Banking Core.
The chair of the division is Kasi Russell-Lodrigue, DVM, PhD, DACLAM, Associate Director and Chief Veterinary Medical Officer at the TNPRC and Associate Professor of Medicine at the Tulane University School of Medicine.
