NIH launches new office advancing human-relevant non-animal science

The US National Institutes of Health (NIH) has launched the Office of Research Innovation, Validation, and Application (ORIVA). Housed within NIH’s Office of the Director, ORIVA will spearhead efforts to expand the development, validation, and use of non-animal methods.

ORIVA will focus on advancing reliable and relevant non-animal approaches for regulatory toxicology and biomedical research by coordinating efforts to develop and validate new methods and providing funding, training, and strategic support.

The office will be headed by Dr Warren Casey, a longstanding leader in advancing reliable, human-relevant science. Dr Casey brings decades of toxicology experience and a strong record of collaboration across government, academia, industry, and nonprofit organisations. For nearly a decade, Dr Casey led the National Toxicology Program Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological Methods (NICEATM), which supports the development, evaluation, and uptake of non-animal toxicity testing approaches. The Science Consortium has extensive experience working with NICEATM and its support staff, including co-authoring more than 20 peer-reviewed publications advancing non-animal toxicity testing methods.

The Science Consortium welcomes the launch of ORIVA, with Dr Casey at the helm, and looks forward to partnering with the new office to advance non-animal science.