A Bright Tomorrow for Therapeutic Orphans: The Potential for New Approach Methodologies to Bridge Data Gaps for Pregnant Patients
By Matthew Durthaler | July 24th, 2025
“As caution often precludes pregnant humans from serving as models of their own physiology, various non-human animal models have been employed. While these models have displayed some value, they are severely limited by interspecies variation and thus serve as subpar predictors of gravid human physiology.”
Sonogram captured by Matthew Durthaler, used with permission
Our Tiny Allies in Toxicological Testing Part 2 – Transparent Roundworms as Alternative Models
By Aaradhya Diwan | July 10th, 2025
“There are numerous opportunities for using C. elegans as a model for toxicity testing, thanks to their unique advantages and translational relevance to human health, as demonstrated in applications to neuroscience and developmental biology.”
Image by Zeynep F. Altun
NAMs and the Funding Frontier: How Modern Toxicology Maximizes Scientific Return on Investment
By Zachary Liebowitz | May 15th, 2025
“Funders are not only looking for scientific merit—they are also scrutinizing value and feasibility. NAMs answer all three.”
Image by ChatGPT
From Roadmap to Reality: Validating NAMs for FDA's Plan to Phase Out Animal Testing
By Yiguang Zhu | May 15th, 2025
“The FDA and the broader scientific community recognize NAMs as a means to obtain 'faster and more accurate human risk assessments' while reducing animal use.”
Image by ChatGPT
Advancing NAMs for Risk Assessment: Perspectives from SOT 2025
By Breanne Kincaid | April 17th, 2025
“Together, these presentations illustrate a clear shift towards integrated, mechanistically informed risk assessment strategies that reduce the number of animals required to generate toxicity data—paving the way for regulatory frameworks that are both scientifically robust and economically sustainable.”
Image by Breanne Kincaid
Organoid’s Potential to Advance Low Dose Research
By Loza Taye | April 3rd, 2025
“Organoids will have an increasingly important role in shaping our understanding of radiation biology and in the development of policies and medical practices concerning radiation exposure.”
Image by aislan13
Collaboration Over Competition: Advancing the Use of Microphysiological Systems
By Dr. Anicca Harriot | February 20th, 2025
“Federal agencies have the power to define a clear path that drives MPS forward in to further reducing the use of animal testing.”
Professional Perspectives: Refinement in Animal Research: A Crucial Step Toward Ethical Progress
By Sally Thompson-Iritani | February 6th, 2025
“Incorporating refinements in animal research is not optional—it is essential in modern science. The rapid pace of technological advancements and increased public scrutiny make it imperative to adopt comprehensive refinement strategies.“
Unleashing Innovation: The Business Case for New Approach Methods (NAMs)
By Zachary Liebowitz | January 23rd, 2025
“As we stand on the cusp of a new era in science and industry, the case for NAMs is clear. They are more than a set of tools—they represent a paradigm shift that aligns innovation with ethical responsibility and economic growth.“
The Utility of an Intra-Agency NAM Office
By Breanne Kincaid | January 10th, 2025
“…the FDA’s NAM office represents a strategic evolution in integrating innovative methodologies into regulatory science. While it complements ICCVAM’s mission, its intra-agency focus and regulatory authority position it to drive faster, more context-specific advancements in risk assessment.“
Our Tiny Allies in Toxicological Testing - Zebrafish and their Embryos as Alternative Models
By Aaradhya Diwan | December 19th, 2024
“[Zebrafish] models offer powerful insight for detecting the negative impacts of chemical substances on ecosystem health and human health.”
Accelerating Medical Countermeasure Development through Microphysiological Systems
By Loza Taye | December 5th, 2024
“The DoD should continue to invest in developing and deploying MPS as a solution to the growing challenges of biological and chemical threats. MPS offer an ethical, efficient, timely, and scientifically valid approach to understanding human responses to harmful agents.”
Miniature Organs, Maximum Benefits: Tissue Chips in Space
By Loze Taye | September 19th 2024
“While tissue chips have already shown great promise in advancing biomedical research here on Earth, their potential in space exploration is equally groundbreaking.”
Regulation Updates in China
By Yiguang Zhu and Zachary Leibowitz | August 22nd, 2024
“A wave of regulatory updates in China is reshaping the landscape of the field of animal testing, challenging long-standing practices and opening doors to innovative non-animal alternatives.”
MPS World Summit 2024 Recap
By Breanne Kincaid & Yiguang Zhu | July 11th, 2024
“In attending the MPS World Summit and other conferences and webinars, it is increasingly clear that MPS developers and end-users would all benefit from clearly enumerated regulatory requirements describing what benchmarks must be met in order for MPS data to be accepted for particular use contexts.”
ICCVAM 2024 Public Forum Highlights
By Loza Taye | June 13th, 2024
“The 2024 ICCVAM Public Forum highlighted progress and future directions in alternative testing methods and how that work is proceeding in federal agencies and some partners. The presentations and discussions underscored a shared commitment to reducing animal testing while improving regulatory science and maintaining rigorous safety standards.”
Revolutionizing Healthcare: How Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells are Paving the Way for Personalized Medicine
By Zachary Liebowitz | May 30th, 2024
“Not only is this model of personalized medicine more clinically relevant than today’s approaches, it is simultaneously more humane, time effective, and cost efficient.”
Innovation in New Approach Methodologies at the 2024 Society of Toxicology Meeting
By Breanne Kincaid | May 16th, 2024
“By harnessing the power of technology, fostering collaboration, and prioritizing regulatory acceptance, we can chart a course towards a safer, more sustainable future.”
Innovative Solutions for an Invisible Threat: Enhancing PFAS Assessment
By Loza Taye | May 2nd, 2024
“The PFAS public health threat demands rapid and sustained action and innovative solutions. Increasing evidence indicates that NAMs should be prioritized as a path to tackle the sizeable chemical class with speed and efficacy.”
Your Body, Your Treatment: The Clinical Potential of Microphysiological Systems in Personalized Medicine
By Loza Taye | March 7th, 2024
“Despite challenges, MPS are a promising platform in personalized medicine. MPS enhance research capabilities within disease modeling, drug testing, and regenerative medicine. As the technology advances, it offers unprecedented insights into disease progression and customized treatment strategies.”