About Us

The New Iberia Research Center operates from a 118-acre site with 24 buildings totaling over 485,000 square feet. Diversified animal housing systems include indoor/outdoor cages for housing small non-human primates in large family groups, outdoor corncrib/minicrib combinations for housing macaque and Cercopithecine species, and indoor single housing units for all non-human primate species in cage sizes recommended by the United States Department of Agriculture. 

Clinical and research support areas are located in near proximity to outdoor social housing across the UL Lafayette-NIRC campus.  Diagnostic capabilities include radiography, ultrasonography, and an onsite clinical pathology laboratory.  Two on site dedicated surgical suites are maintained as available for both protocol mandated, routine scheduled and emergency care procedures.  Service agreements are maintained on all equipment to ensure non interruption of services. Protocol mandated surgical procedures are minimally invasive.  Clinical Pathology diagnostic support is centrally located in a 12,000 square foot, controlled access laboratory.  Diagnostic support capabilities include hematology, chemistry, coagulation, microbiology, urinalysis, parasitology and histology. 

There are over 6,800 non-human primates housed at the Center which makes NIRC one of the largest primate center in the US.  Active breeding and/or research holding programs exist for the following species: Cebus apella, Chlorocebus aethiops, Macaca fasicularis, Macaca nemestrina, and Macaca mulatta.