The NHLBI Programs of Excellence in Gene Therapy Non-Human Primate Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Core (PEGT-PHCTC) has been established as one of six PEGT national service cores to provide eligible NHLBI-supported investigators with the following valuable services, free of charge. The Core, in collaboration with investigators (users), will conduct in vivo autologous transplantation experiments with gene-modified, marrow-repopulating stem cells purified from mobilized blood and/or primed marrow. Secondly, this Core will collaborate with the PEGT Hematopoietic Cell Processing Core (PEGT-HCPC) to purify and distribute hematopoietic progenitor and stem cell populations from non-human primates, i.e. baboons (Papio cynocephalus sp.) and pig-tailed macaques (Macaca nemistrina). These cell populations will be made available to NHLBI investigators through the PEGT-HCPC (which will also distribute analogous cell populations of human origin), for in vitro gene transfer experiments in the user's own laboratory. The PEGT-PHCTC is composed of an interactive group of laboratories and animal care resources located at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC), the University of Washington (UW) and the University of Washington-Regional Primate Research Center (UW-RPRC). Access to large animal transplant models for hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy is a limiting factor when investigators try to extrapolate findings from tissue culture, the mouse and other small animal models to the human clinical setting. As it is expected that the demand for PHCTC services may greatly exceed the resources of this core, applications for services will be peer-reviewed by an External Scientific Panel, and prioritized by the PEGT Steering Committee. Final funding decisions will be made by NHLBI staff, based on consideration of the peer-review, prioritization, and overall program balance. Evaluation criteria will include quality of preliminary data; evidence for biological and clinical relevance, protocol design (including feasibility, rationale, and statistical analysis), and overall scientific merit.

For questions about services offered by the NHLBI PEGT-PHCTC, please e-mail Dr. Hans-Peter Kiem, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA at: hkiem@fhcrc.org

To apply for services, please download the application form (requires Adobe Acrobat reader) and fax to 212-746-8824. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.