Tsukuba Primate Research Center (TPRC) is the only facility in Japan that can perform research in all areas including breeding and utilization of cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis). TPRC was established in 1978 as the Tsukuba branch of the National Institute of Health (current the National Insti- tute of Infectious Diseases, NIID). The primary duty of TPRC was breeding, maintenance, and supply of high-quality cynomolgus monkeys for the national control tests of attenuated live vaccines and research on infectious diseases. In 2005, TPRC was separated from NIID and transferred to the National Institute of Biomedical Innovation (NIBIO). NIBIO was then integrated with the National Institute of Health and Nutrition in 2015 and reorganized as the National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutri- tion (NIBIOHN).
The activities of TPRC involve promo- tion of research and development of inno- vative drugs and therapeutics using cyno- molgus monkeys, as well as development, management, and supply of the monkeys as research resources. The high-quality cy- nomolgus monkeys maintained and con- trolled in TPRC can greatly contribute to the evaluation of the effectiveness and tox- icity of new drugs and medical technology and for pre-clinical trials. The non-human primate shared facilities of TPRC respond to collaborative researches in various fields of biomedical sciences or on infectious diseases between researchers in TPRC and third parties including private companies.
