Dr. Corbin Schuster’s interest in biomedical research began during his undergraduate training, when he completed a 10-week internship at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases in Bethesda, Maryland. According to Dr. Schuster, after that experience, “My interest in biomedical research—particularly in the study of microorganisms and infectious diseases—just grew.”

Researchers use a diverse array of aquatic organisms—such as fish, amphibians, and invertebrates—to explore various biological questions.

For much of his life, Mr. Mirindi Kabangu has held a passion for learning. As an undergraduate student, this passion led him to the laboratory of Dr. S. Randal Voss, Professor and Director of the Ambystoma Genetic Stock Center (AGSC) at the University of Kentucky.

Microorganisms affect nearly every aspect of life, regulating numerous biological processes at the ecosystem and organismal levels. All multi-organ animals maintain a unique gut microbiome that plays a key role in regulation of their metabolic, immune, and neurological functions. This area of research has expanded thanks to studies catalyzed by the NIH Human Microbiome Project, but the functional consequences of microbial changes—and the role of individual bacterial species and combinations—remain unknown.

Axolotls (Ambystoma mexicanum) are salamanders that have been used for research for more than 200 years (Figure 1).1 They have a remarkable ability to regenerate...

ORIP aims to provide investigators with the resources and infrastructure they need to improve human health, including by supporting the development of animal models of human disease. The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in humans, caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) strain, has compelled scientists around the world to work remarkably fast to develop vaccines and therapeutics using animal models.

Since making its debut as a research organism in the late 1970s, the humble zebrafish—an unassuming, pinky-sized striped fish originally found in the freshwaters of the Himalayas—has gained significant traction as a valuable tool among genetics and other biomedical researchers. In 1999, this small-sized fish was bestowed with a full-service resource center, established in Eugene, Oregon, with support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Biobanks seek to reduce the hidden variables in animal resources that can affect experimental results.