Detroit Zoo

Zoo Atlanta received this award, which was later transferred to the Detroit Zoo, to investigate the underlying causes of cardiovascular disease in gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees, and bonobos using the investigative tools of pathology. The work will advance the research compiled through the IMLS-funded Great Ape Heart Project by utilizing the project database and new digital tools to compare clinical and pathologic data to determine which diagnostic tests are most predictive of heart disease. The research team, including a pathology-dedicated postdoctoral fellow and veterinary students, will also assess apes for hypertension and atherosclerosis, and investigate potential causes for fatal aneurysms. The project will answer fundamental questions about the development of cardiovascular disease in apes, while training a new generation of zoo professionals. The results will enable the nation's zoos to better prevent and treat disease and enhance stewardship of these endangered living collections.