Tulane National Biomedical Research Center

**About Us** The Tulane National Biomedical Research Center improves human and animal health through basic and applied biomedical research. Housing one of the seven [National Primate Research Centers](https://tnbrc.tulane.edu/www.nprc.org) primarily funded by the [National Institutes of Health](https://tnbrc.tulane.edu/www.nih.gov) and one of twelve [Regional Biocontainment Laboratories](https://www.niaid.nih.gov/research/biocontainment-research-facilities), the TNBRC is committed to discovering causes, preventions, treatments, and cures that allow people around the world to live longer, healthier lives. Originally opened in 1964 as the Delta Regional Primate Center, the Tulane National Biomedical Research Center is situated on 500 acres of land in Covington, Louisiana, approximately forty miles north of New Orleans. Over the past 60 years, the primate center Research has grown to meet the research needs for our nation's most pressing human health problems, and as a result has expanded its facilities, employees, and research programs. Primary research interests include developing vaccines, treatments, and diagnostic tools for infectious diseases such as AIDS, COVID-19, Lyme disease, tuberculosis, and emerging infectious diseases. Research at the Tulane National Biomedical Research Center focuses on understanding infectious and chronic diseases that require the use of the nonhuman primate model. The TNBRC has both biosafety level 2 and biosafety level 3 laboratories to accommodate various research needs and is the only National Primate Research Center with a Regional Biosafety Laboratory. Learn more about the [Regional Biosafety Laboratory](https://tnbrc.tulane.edu/node/2456) at the TNBRC. The TNBRC is part of the Tulane University Health Sciences Center, which also includes the [Tulane School of Medicine](https://medicine.tulane.edu/) and the [Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine](https://sph.tulane.edu/). While our faculty members hold academic appointments within the School of Medicine, the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and the School of Science and Engineering, the Primate Center operates as a distinct entity within the Health Sciences Center. We collaborate closely with colleagues across the university while maintaining independent research programs, leadership, and infrastructure. The Tulane National Biomedical Research Center has become a premier infectious disease research facility and one of the largest employers in St. Tammany Parish with over 350 employees and an annual statewide economic impact estimated at $107.1 million a year. * * * **Mission** The Tulane National Biomedical Research Center (TNBRC) has a national mission to improve human and animal health through basic and applied biomedical research. To accomplish this mission, the TNBRC: - Conducts basic and applied biomedical research on human health problems using nonhuman primate models and New Approach Methodologies (NAMs.) - Investigates nonhuman primate biology and [diseases](https://tnprc.tulane.edu/diseases-we-investigate) with particular regard to the study of human health problems. - Promotes animal welfare through the use of clinical and basic science research to characterize and improve the health of nonhuman primates. - Serves as a regional and national resource and center of excellence for biomedical research. - Provides [training](https://tnprc.tulane.edu/education-training-programs) for [graduate students](https://tnprc.tulane.edu/graduate-program-biomedical-sciences-bms), [postdoctoral fellows](https://tnprc.tulane.edu/postdoctoral-training-program), veterinarians, undergraduates, veterinary students and [visiting scientists](https://tnprc.tulane.edu/visiting-scientist-program). - [Educates the general public](https://tnbrc.tulane.edu/node/3083) about the critical link between biomedical research and improvements in human health.