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2025
Standardized Organoid Modeling Center to Reduce Reliance on Animal Modeling
NIH announced the award of contracts for the Standardized Organoid Modeling (SOM) Center, a national resource that will be dedicated to using cutting-edge technologies to develop standardized organoid-based new approach methodologies that deliver robust, reproducible, and patient-centered research findings.
How Does the NIH Initiative to Prioritize Human-Based Research Affect Research Proposing the Use of Laboratory Animals?
In July 2025, NIH announced it will no longer develop new funding opportunities focused exclusively on animal models of human disease. Rather, going forward, new funding opportunities will be designed more broadly with language that also encourages various approaches be considered.
NIH Funding Announcements to Align with NIH Initiative to Prioritize Human-based Research
On April 29, NIH announced it is prioritizing human-focused research and reducing animal use in research. To further this initiative, all new Notices of Funding Opportunity that relate to animal model systems (NOFOs) must now also support human-focused approaches such as clinical trials, real world data, or new approach methods (NAMs).
What Should a Researcher Know If Their Animal Study May Involve Another Institution?
The short answer: collaborations can offer significant benefits for scientific discovery. However, there are a number of components to be considered prior to establishing a collaboration when research involves animal activity.