College researchers have been conducting research on Rhesus monkeys for over a year, The Dartmouth learned yesterday.
The monkeys, also known as Macaques, are being fitted with surgical implants in order to monitor their reactions to different stimuli. The monkeys are being kept at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and used for split-brain research, according to a source involved with DHMC who wished to remain anonymous.
Dr. Marilyn Brown, Director of the Animal Care and Use Unit at DHMC, said the monkeys have been under the care of her unit for over a year, although she would not comment on the aims of the research project.
Brown said the research was being conducted for the College's Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, but declined for security reasons to specify which researchers were involved with the study.
Professor Michael Gazzaniga, chair of the College's Center for Cognitive Neuroscience -- the department which researches decision processes that control movement -- denied being involved with any research on monkeys.
According to Nancy Serrell, Science Writer at the College's Office of Public Affairs, 97 percent of the animals used in research are rodents -- rats and mice.
The Animal Care and Use unit oversees the welfare of these animals.
"Our responsibility is to look after the animals," Brown said. "We are very concerned about the well-being of the animals ... if they aren't healthy and doing well, they are no good to research."
The staff of this unit includes one clinical veterinarian and eleven animal care technicians.
The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) oversees care and use of all live animals used in research and teaching at Dartmouth. This committee, consisting of scientists and a community member, review all research proposals involving animals.
Other animal research subjects have included amphibians -- for a project studying their reproductive problems and salmon in a project studying the fish in the Connecticut River.
In addition to federal regulations and periodic inspections by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the college subscribes to voluntary guidelines set by the Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International.
