About Yerkes

The Yerkes National Primate Research Center of Emory University is an international leader in biomedical and behavioral research. Research conducted at the center involving nonhuman primates provides a critical link between research with small laboratory animals and clinical trials with humans. The center houses nearly 3,400 nonhuman primates and more than 5,000 rodents between two locations at its main center on Emory's Atlanta campus and its field station in Lawrenceville, Georgia.

For nearly eight decades, the Yerkes Research Center has been dedicated to advancing scientific understanding of primate biology, behavior, veterinary care and conservation, and to improving human health and well-being. Today, the center, as one of only eight National Institutes of Health–funded national primate research centers, provides specialized scientific resources, expertise and training opportunities.

Recognized as a multidisciplinary research institute, the Yerkes Research Center is making landmark discoveries in the fields of microbiology and immunology, neuroscience, psychobiology and sensory-motor systems. Research programs are seeking ways to: develop vaccines for infectious and noninfectious diseases; treat cocaine addiction; interpret brain activity through imaging; increase understanding of progressive illnesses such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s; unlock the secrets of memory; determine behavioral effects of hormone replacement therapy; address vision disorders; and advance knowledge about the evolutionary links between biology and behavior.

It is through the gifts of others that the Yerkes Research Center will continue to recruit the best scientists, maintain and develop state-of-the-art facilities and purchase up-to-date equipment. With your continued support, Yerkes researchers can enjoy the resources necessary to advance scientific discovery and improve human health. More information about giving to Yerkes can be found here.

Yerkes is a part of the Robert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center of Emory University, an academic health science and service center focused on missions of teaching, research, health care and public service. Its components include the Emory University School of Medicine, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, and Rollins School of Public Health; Yerkes National Primate Research Center; Emory Winship Cancer Institute; and Emory Healthcare, the largest, most comprehensive health system in Georgia. Emory Healthcare includes: The Emory Clinic, Emory-Children's Center, Emory University Hospital, Emory University Hospital Midtown, Wesley Woods Center, Emory University Orthopaedics & Spine Hospital, the jointly owned Emory-Adventist Hospital, and EHCA, a limited liability company created with Hospital Corporation of America. EHCA includes two joint venture hospitals, Emory Eastside Medical Center and Emory Johns Creek Hospital. The Woodruff Health Sciences Center has a $2.3 billion budget, 18,000 employees, 2,500 full-time and 1,500 affiliated faculty, 4,300 students and trainees, and a $5.5 billion economic impact on metro Atlanta.

Programs at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center are supported in part by Base Grant No. RR-00165 awarded by the National Center for Research Resources of the National Institutes of Health.