Programs and Activities Highlights
- Notice of Funding Opportunity: Animal and Biological Material Resource Centers (P40 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
This notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) encourages grant applications for Animal and Biological Material Resource Centers. These centers provide support for special colonies of laboratory animals and associated services, as well as other resources, such as informatics tools, reagents, cultures (cells, tissues, and organs), and genetic stocks that serve the biomedical research community in a variety of research areas on a local, regional, and national basis. Of special interest is a requirement for the Center to closely coordinate with efforts to develop new approach methodologies (NAMs) that complement traditional animal-based research. The Applied Research Component of the project should include studies to generate comparative data to increase applicability of NAMs and promote integration of the most predictive human disease models. The goal of projects supported by this NOFO is to provide research resources that facilitate the optimization and enhancement of scientific rigor, transparency, and experimental reproducibility of biomedical research. Proposed Animal and Biological Material Resource Centers must have broad application to multiple NIH institutes or centers (ICs) to align with ORIP’s NIH-wide mission.
- International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium: Insights from the Past, Shaping the Future
The International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium (IMPC) meeting was held on January 22, 2026. An ORIP staff member chaired session 1, which included an update on IMPC production and phenotyping efforts to date. This virtual meeting focused on three pillars: the progress and achievements of IMPC to date; the program’s impact on basic and applied biomedical research, as well as understanding disease mechanisms and advancing human health; and the value and justification for continuing the Knockout Mouse Phenotyping Project (KOMP)/IMPC program, as well as suggestions for future directions and priorities. The goal of IMPC is to create a comprehensive catalog of mammalian gene function that is freely available and equally accessible to the global research community.
- Notice of Funding Opportunity: Informatics, Coordination and Service Center for the Mutant Mouse Resource and Research Centers (U42 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
The purpose of this notice of funding opportunity is to provide continuing support for the Informatics, Coordination and Service Center (ICSC) unit of the Mutant Mouse Resource and Research Centers (MMRRC) consortium. The ICSC is expected to provide informatics and coordinating services to the MMRRC consortium and biomedical researchers. The announcement includes a requirement for the center’s close coordination with efforts to develop new approach methodologies (NAMs) that complement traditional animal-based research. These include cell culture, organoids, computational models, and microphysiological systems. Proposed activities should include collection and analysis of comparative information on the use of NAMs that enhance the predictive power of human disease models and support their integration with traditional models.
- Notice of Funding Opportunity: Resource-Related Research Projects for Development of Models and Related Materials for Studying Human Health and Diseases (R24 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)
ORIP encourages grant applications aimed at developing, characterizing, or improving research models for human health and diseases; developing biology-based new approach methodologies (NAMs) applicable to human health and diseases; or improving access to information about or generated from the use of models for human disease. The models, including NAMs, and related biological materials developed must be broadly applicable to the scientific interests of two or more NIH institutes or centers and must evaluate diseases and processes that impact multiple organ systems in alignment with ORIP’s NIH-wide mission and programs.
- Precision Model Centers Introductory Meeting
ORIP organized and presented at the Precision Model Centers Introductory Meeting on September 15, 2025. This virtual meeting included principal investigators and project leads of ORIP’s renewed U54 Division of Comparative Medicine (DCM) initiative, the Precision Model Centers Consortium. Program officials of the projects (DCM) and project scientists (Division of Construction and Instruments) attended the meeting, presented the plan for the new cycle, discussed collaborations, and planned future meetings.
Read more in the archive.
ORIP-Supported Research Highlights
- Dominant Effects of the Immediate Environment on the Gut Microbiome of Mice Used in Biomedical Research
Genetically engineered mouse (GEM) models are vital for studying gene function and the effects of environmental factors in biological systems. The microbiome (the collection of microbes found in the body) of GEM models significantly influences model phenotypes (physical characteristics) and thus represents a possible source of poor reproducibility. Researchers collected fecal samples from 275 unique GEM models at 84 different research institutions. These research institutions were located across 34 U.S. states and 7 other countries. Results showed that the laboratory environment was the main factor in shaping the microbiome, and beta-diversity similarities were observed. A surprisingly high prevalence and amount of Helicobacter species was observed in the GEM model microbiomes. This highlights the importance of collecting fecal samples in phenotyping studies to understand how the microbiome affects the results.
- Vinculin Y822 Phosphorylation Regulates Adhesion Remodeling During Cardiomyocyte Maturation
Mechanical forces play a vital role in regulating cell function. Mechanosensitive proteins are molecules on and within the cell that are needed to sense mechanical stimuli. Defects in the ability to sense and convert mechanical stimuli into biochemical signals within a cell are involved in the development of such diseases as asthma, cancer, and cardiomyopathy. In the heart, cell–matrix and cell–cell adhesions adjust in response to increased cardiac demand and growth, which are mechanical stimuli of the heart. Vinculin (VCL) is a mechanosensitive protein found in the heart that links the protein actin to cell–matrix and cell–cell adhesions. Using heart cell culture and mouse models (both sexes used), researchers studied how VCL regulates changes in these interactions. Results showed that phosphorylation of the amino acid pY822 in VCL regulates these adhesion interactions in the heart. This highlights the importance of post-translational modifications of proteins in heart function.
- Conditional Dmd Ablation in Muscle and Brain Causes Profound Effects on Muscle Function and Neurobehavior
People with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) have skeletal and cardiopulmonary weakness caused by changes to the dystrophin protein, and up to one-third also are diagnosed on the autism spectrum. Researchers created an improved mouse model that allowed them to remove large gene isoforms (mRNA variations of the gene that may alter function) within the coding for dystrophin. The mouse Dmd gene has several isoforms that affect the skeletal muscle, heart, and brain. Researchers were able to define tissue-specific requirements of dystrophin in skeletal muscle during early and postnatal muscle growth and regeneration. They also observed some learning, cognitive, and social deficits in this 4- to-6-month-old male mouse model that are shared by other DMD mouse models. This increased understanding of how dystrophin loss affects people with DMD will help researchers develop gene therapies and treatment strategies.
- Exceptional Diversity of Allorecognition Receptors in a Nonvertebrate Chordate Reveals Principles of Innate Allelic Discrimination
Allorecognition—the ability to distinguish self from non-self—is found in many species and is the basis for many processes, such as mate choice, space competition, and immune function. Botryllus schlosseri is a marine invertebrate (a life form lacking a spine) that has many similarities to vertebrates in allorecognition genomic organization and signaling pathways. Researchers used B. schlosseri to investigate allorecognition and identified an unprecedented level of receptor diversity and adaptive ability in the alleles (alternative versions of a gene) used to determine compatibility. These results provide insight into signal processing and allorecognition processes across a broad range of animals.
- A Tandem Repeat Atlas for the Genome of Inbred Mouse Strains: A Genetic Variation Resource
Tandem repeats (TRs) are repetitive DNA sequences. TRs are a significant source of genetic variation in the human population, responsible for unique biomedical traits among individuals and more than 60 genetic diseases. Researchers used long-read sequencing and state-of-the-art computational programs to produce a database of more than 2 million TRs that cover 39 inbred mouse strains (males used). Results showed that there were important similarities and differences among species and that TR alleles (alternative versions of a gene) are important for genetic discovery. Analysis of two biomedical phenotypes (physical characteristics), which were characterized in inbred mouse strains more than 40 years ago, identified the genetic factors that can cause these phenotypes. This research is essential for characterizing the unique genetic variations that cause trait differences and advancing fundamental biological research and translational medicine.
Read more in the archive.
