The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced a major policy change: ending funding for research projects based solely on animal studies. Moving forward, all NIH grant applications must include non-animal methods (NAMs) such as 3D cell culture models, organoids, computational modeling, and other human-relevant research technologies.
Animal testing has historically played a key role in drug discovery and biomedical research. However, recent advances highlight significant limitations:
Animal models often fail to accurately predict human responses.
Alternative methods offer better physiological relevance and reproducibility.
Ethical concerns over animal welfare continue to grow.
By requiring non-animal methods, the NIH aims to improve research quality, accelerate therapeutic development, and reduce reliance on animal testing.
Incorporating non-animal models such as 3D tissue cultures, organ-on-a-chip systems, or in silico tools is now essential. This shift will encourage:
Greater adoption of human-based 3D cell culture platforms.
Innovation in tissue engineering and disease modeling.
More accurate and translatable preclinical data.
At Gelomics, we provide cutting-edge 3D cell culture technologies designed to meet the needs of modern biomedical research. Our platforms enable researchers to create physiologically relevant human tissue models that comply with NIH’s new funding criteria and improve experimental outcomes. The future of biomedical research is human-relevant, ethical, and innovative. Gelomics is here to help you succeed in this new era by providing reliable tools for non-animal method research.
Learn more about Gelomics’ dedication to animal-free research here.
Read more about NIH’s announcement here.
