Six new projects will investigate the further development of human measurement models
Animal research often fails to predict human responses and raises ethical concerns about the morality of using animals for experiments. Six research projects focused on osteogenesis, rare diseases, schizophrenia, osteoarthritis, microbial fermentation and systemic sclerosis now receive funding to further develop their animal-free method.
Human measurement models III: ”Next steps in model development”
Medical advancements are frequently hindered by the fact that data from animal experiment fails to accurately predict human responses due to significant biological differences. The Human Measurement Models research programme aims to revolutionise health research by developing efficient animal-free methods, also called human measurement models, that can lead to faster and better application of research results in humans.
What is required is further development
Although many human measurement models have been developed over the years, they are still infrequently used by big companies due to a lack of acceptance by regulatory authorities. What is required is further development, validation and acceptance of promising human measurement models, to reduce the gap between the research phase and implementation. To achieve that, the Association of Dutch Health Foundations (SGF), together with Top Sector Life Sciences & Health (Topsector LSH; Health~Holland), and ZonMw, have organized a third call for proposals within the Human Measurement Models research programme. Health~Holland has provided a PPP grant for this call to encourage public-private partnerships.
Six promising consortia
The granted projects of this call are now known; in these projects, six promising consortia will improve and validate an existing human measurement model for a specific disease or treatment. We expect that these projects contribute to better treatments of human diseases and a reduction in animal use.
- Want to know more on these projects? Read their full abstracts on the website of the SGF
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A CARtilage on CHIP model for precision medicine in osteoarthritis (CARCHIP)
Projectleider: Prof. dr. Marcel Karperien
The CARCHIP project aims to develop and implement a model of 'cartilage-on-a-chip' that can be used for the development of new drugs and precision medicine in osteoarthritis (OA).A High throughput Organoid Platform for drug discovEry (HOPE) for rare genetic brain disorders: FOXP1 syndrome as a use case
Projectleider: Prof. dr. Willeke van Roon-Mom
In the HOPE project, the researchers want to set up an organoid (mini-organ) platform to study rare diseases using patient cells, using FOXP1 syndrome as an example.
Midbrain organoids as a tool for pre-clinical personalized testing against schizophrenia (MO-SAIC)
Projectleider: dr Silvia Bolognin
The aim of the MO-SAIC project is to make midbrain organoids from patient-derived stem cells for the purpose of drug testing.Real-time metabolic signatures of gut microbial fermentation as a basis for personalized prevention
Projectleider: Prof. dr. Ellen Blaak
This project aims to refine and validate a method developed in an earlier round to measure gases released during microbial fermentation in the intestines of humans in real time.Osteogenesis Imperfecta organ-on-chip Models for Pre-Clinical Testing (OImpact)
Projectleider: Dr. Liliana Moreira Teixeira Leijten
The OImpact project focuses on developing a model to study bone fractures in a laboratory setting.Complex Model(s) for Pre-clinical Assessment in Systemic Sclerosis (COMPASS)
Projectleider: Prof. dr. Linde Meyaard
The COMPASS model focuses on the possibility of developing and testing new drugs for systemic sclerosis by mimicking the disease using skin cells, immune cells and blood vessel cells in the lab.