Zoo New England (ZNE) announces today that it has received $540,000 from the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ (IMLS) National Leadership Grant. This grant, which is allotted over a three-year period, will support ZNE’s Center for Zoonomics, which aims to build capacity for zoos to use next generation genomics research to study and improve the health of animal populations in zoo care.

ZNE will use the funds provided by IMLS to advance the Center for Zoonomics’ goal to establish a national program that provides zoos with the foundational infrastructure and resources that are critically needed for using genetics research to study animal health.

“We are honored and thrilled to receive the IMLS’ National Leadership Grant,” said Dr. Eric Baitchman, ZNE’s Vice President of Animal Health and Conservation. “Insights driven through genomic research are not just essential for the betterment of animal care and protection, but the wider global community as well. This grant will help us close the gaps between the zoo and medical genomics communities, increasing the accessibility of useful genomic research for all.”

With a focus on resource sharing, the Center for Zoonomics will make it easier to share health information between zoos and aquariums. ZNE has partnered with the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Species360 and the Great Ape Heart Project (GAHP) based at the Detroit Zoo for this initiative, led by Dr. Baitchman and Dr. Rachel Johnston, ZNE’s Conservation Genomics Scientist. As part of the grant, ZNE will develop a pilot project studying the impacts of heart disease in gorillas. Cardiac disease is the biggest health issue affecting gorillas in human care, which is why routine monitoring, proactive care and cardiac exams are so important.

As ZNE works to increase the ease of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) research and data sharing, the initiative will meet several goals, including implementing strategies of coordinated biological samples, enhancing software tools for record keeping, providing training resources for education, and promoting the accessibility of health genetics in the AZA community. All samples used in research are collected by zoo veterinarians during routine preventative health exams for animal wellness.

In meeting these goals, ZNE will bring health genetics research to several beneficiaries, including other AZA-accredited institutions, population management organizations, the greater zoo community, the genetic science community, and the wider public at large. The Center for Zoonomics, with the support of IMLS’ grant, will lead this innovative initiative to improve the overall health and well-being of animals in zoo care.

Grants provided by the IMLS, gifted to organizations of all sizes and disciplines, support the pursuit of strategic, project-based efforts to serve the public through exhibition. Recipients include leading libraries, zoos, museums, cultural institutions and education services, each working to enhance and preserve the quality of educational services and opportunities for the American public’s use. In 2024, IMLS received 54 applications for the National Leadership Grant and selected 18 beneficiaries, including Zoo New England.