The NIH (National Institutes of Health) has recently realigned its funding strategy to prioritize human-based research technologies (New Approach Methodologies, NAMs) in line with the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement) of animal use. In April 2025, it announced that upcoming funding calls will support and encourage non-animal methods, and by July 2025, confirmed that it will no longer develop funding opportunities focused exclusively on animal models.
To accelerate this transition, the NIH has launched the Complement Animal Research In Experimentation (Complement-ARIE) programme to advance the development and validation of human-based approaches.
In line with this strategy, two new resources have been created, designed to support researchers and clarify the landscape of human biology-based models, and recently promoted through the 3R Replace Network.
These support the global NAM initiatives and the EU 3Rs principle.
New resources supporting human biology-based research
BimmoH: Biomedical models Hub
BimmoH or the Biomedical models Hub is a new database from the EUs Joint Research Centre. It is the largest public database of scientific articles, making use of human biology-based models used in biomedical research.
The database should aid researchers and others, such as regulators, policymakers, funding bodies, and industry leaders, in their search for human-relevant research models.
More information here: Human-centric research: the largest dataset of human biology-based models launched – The Joint Research Centre: EU Science Hub
Or visit BimmoH here: BimmoH : Biomedical models Hub
NATworks Database
The NATworks Database is an interactive platform providing an overview of companies engaged in human biology-based research. Entries in the database describe company products, services, and business models rather than individual peer-reviewed studies. The platform is designed for researchers, industry professionals, regulatory authorities and policy makers interested in human-based research innovation and company offerings as well as identifying research and collaboration partners.
More information here: NATworks: Industry Guide to Non-Animal Technologies
How Axol supports this transition
Our portfolio of human iPSC-derived cells and specialized services is closely aligned with these global developments. As the research landscape moves decisively toward non-animal methods, Axol enables this transition by providing:
- Manufacturing psychologically relevant, functional human iPSC-derived cells that improve predictive accuracy
- Provision of specialist research services to support utility of NAMs for drug discovery and pilot studies
- Developing new high-quality, reproducible in vitro models suitable for discovery and safety applications
- Custom in vitro solutions helping laboratories replace or reduce animal-dependent systems
As initiatives like BimmoH, NATworks, and Complement-ARIE continue to shape the future of biomedical research, Axol remains committed to driving the adoption of NAMs.
We look forward to partnering with organizations that share this vision and advancing human-based models that transform drug development.
