Scientists hope the world's first genetically-modified primate will be the first in a long line of animals that can aid in finding genetic cures to such diseases as Alzheimer's, AIDS and cancer.
Born in October, the rhesus monkey named ANDi ("inserted DNA" spelled backwards) was created from an unfertilised egg with a tracking gene inserted.
Its creation is described in an article in today's edition of the journal Science.
"We could just as easily introduce, for example, an Alzheimer's gene, to accelerate the development of a vaccine for that disease," said the article's author, Dr Gerald Schatten of the Oregon Regional Primate Research Centre at the Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland.
This technique already has been used successfully on mice, but has never before been used on a primate, said Dr Schatten, who last year created the first cloned monkey, Tetra.
"In this way, we hope to bridge the scientific gap between transgenic mice and humans. We could also get better answers from fewer animals, while accelerating the discovery of cures through molecular medicine," Dr Schatten said.
"Monkeys like ANDi and Tetra will quickly but safely help us determine if innovative therapies are safe and effective," he said. The technique for inserting the gene has been used for more than a quarter of a century in mice, but comparing a mouse to a human being has limits, said Dr Schatten.
Because monkeys are close cousins to humans in terms of DNA, they may give scientists a better picture of how human disease develops.
"We're at an extraordinary moment in the history of humans," Dr Schatten said.
Other scientists, however, were quick to condemn the research.
Dr Ray Greek, spokesman for the Physicians' Committee for Responsible Medicine, said the disease research could already be done at the cellular level.
"I think it's going to get them a lot of press and will eventually translate into getting OHSU a lot of money," Dr Greek said. "But 20 years from now, will your children be safer from cancer, heart disease etc as a result of this? The odds are astronomically against it."
Dr Phyllis Leppert at the National Institutes of Health, which funded the research, defended the monkey gene modification.
She said the NIH and scientists had been dealing with genetic research issues for decades, and Dr Schatten, like other scientists who work with primates, was always trying to balance the use of animals with the prospect of curing a disease.
"All of this research is being done very carefully with all of the scientific community giving him input," Dr Leppert said.