The California National Primate Research Center (CNPRC) is an Organized Research Unit of the University of California Davis and part of the National Primate Research Centers Program. The CNPRC is one of eight such centers supported by the National Center for Research Resources, a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Its mission is to provide interdisciplinary programs in biomedical research on significant human health-related problems in which nonhuman primates are the models of choice.

In past years, researchers have conducted projects encompassing many aspects of biology and medicine, including studies on AIDS and other infectious diseases; reproductive issues such as those associated with conception, pregnancy, and fetal growth and development; neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's Disease; nutritional deficiencies; pulmonary disorders such as asthma, and the effects of secondhand smoke on infants’ and children’s lung development; xenotransplantation; acute and chronic stress; temperament and biobehavioral organization; social relationships; neurobiology; cognitive function; causes of Autism; and behavioral development.

Research Units at the CNPRC include: Brain, Mind, and Behavior, Infectious Diseases Unit, Reproductive Sciences and Regenerative Medicine, and Respiratory Diseases. There is also the Affiliate and Pilot Research Program which provides research opportunities to investigators nationally and internationally; the Core Services program, which provides specialized services, including assays and access to equipment and facilities, in support of research; and Primate Services and Medicine division, that provides technical and veterinary support for research.