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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Progress is welcome. But this is not the overhaul that biomedical research needs. ⚠️ The system that has produced decades of poorly translatable animal experiments will remain largely intact.

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

NHLBI Acting Director David Goff pointed to the potential of non-animal methods to replace and reduce animal use while accelerating progress toward treatments for serious chronic conditions.

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

NHLBI has announced new grant requirements for researchers proposing experiments on animals. Beginning January 2027, applicants will be required to justify animal use in their abstracts and provide a plan to validate any findings in a human model.

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Happy to have a chapter published in this brand new textbook! I was especially excited to delve into the theory behind animal methods bias. All part of our work in @thecolaab.bsky.social! www.sciencedirect.com/science/chap...

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Don't miss these two ORIVA workshops in October! Alternative Methodologies in Pharmaceutical Development 🔗 ntp.niehs.nih.gov/whatwestudy/... Recent Developments in Human-Based Models 🔗 ntp.niehs.nih.gov/whatwestudy/... ⌛ Register for in-person by Oct 13. 🖥️ Virtual registration is open too!

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

OLAW is seeking input on annual reporting of vertebrate species covered by the PHS Policy but currently excluded from USDA annual reporting requirements (which as a reminder is 95-99% of the animals used). 📍 Stay tuned for more guidance on responding to this RFI, including key points to make.

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Additional initiatives include expanded infrastructure for non-animal methods, integrated multi-method laboratories, and investments in technologies designed to generate human-relevant data.

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

NIH also announced plans to implement recommendations from @thecolaab.bsky.social, including efforts to bring greater human-based science expertise into grant review.

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

One is NIH's commitment to track animal use in funded research. Without comprehensive data, progress cannot be measured & accountability cannot be evaluated. OLAW's role in this is 🥴 given its longstanding focus on administrative burden and its record of oversight failures is questionable.

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

It was a big week for the movement for human-based science! 👏🎉 NIH & HHS unveiled new initiatives that expand investment in human-based science while addressing animal use across the biomedical research enterprise. Scroll down for key developments.

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Read the article in NAM Journal: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

The transition away from experiments on animals to human-based science won't be achieved by just focusing on technology development and replacing one model with another. Its success requires redesigning and repurposes the structures that keep outdated practices afloat.

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

🚨 Important paper alert! How do you transition an animal facility into a non-animal method lab? In this new paper, Clive Roper and Michael Coleman present what might be the first practical framework for doing this.

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

For years, researchers developing non-animal methods could generate human-based data, publish it, and use it internally, but there was no clear pathway to share that evidence unless it was tied to a drug approval application. @ema.europa.eu's new pilot program is changing that. 🧵

A graphic with a laboratory photograph on the left showing people working at computers. Circular decorative graphics appear in the upper-right and lower-left corners, and the SAO icon appears in the lower-right. The slide text reads: “Non-animal methods news. Academics, method developers, and others can now share non-animal method data with the European Medicines Agency independent of drug marketing applications. Until now, non-animal method data rarely reached regulators, limiting opportunities for them to build confidence in the technologies. Learn more at ema.europa.eu/en/news.”

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

What hidden discoveries are waiting in biobanks? A study published in May provided strong genetic evidence for #PostpartumPsychosis. Using population-scale human datasets, researchers at Mount Sinai estimated that genetic factors account for roughly half of the risk.

Screenshot: Published: 14 May 2026; Genetic architecture of postpartum psychosis: from common to rare genetic variation
Seulgi Jung, Madison Caballero, Adrianna Kępińska, Shelby Smout, Trine Munk-Olsen, Thalia K. Robakis, Veerle Bergink & Behrang Mahjani
Molecular Psychiatry (2026); 6730 Accesses; 56 Altmetric

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

NIH has added new Highlighted Topics* that include opportunities to address fundamental questions in human health using human-relevant, non-animal approaches, datasets, and technologies. grants.nih.gov/funding/find... #NIH #BiomedicalResearch #NIHFunding #Grant #NAMs

Graphic announcing “new nih highlighted topics for human-based methods.” It lists: “Research on the role of post-translational modifications in human health and disease”; “Advance the understanding of mechanisms regulating sex differences in response to exercise”; “Immune mechanisms for disease prevention”; “Environmental contributors to infertility”; and “Building health through multidomain resilience research from molecules to communities: mechanisms, measures, and biomarkers.” The graphic directs viewers to “find more at grants.nih.gov/funding/find-a-fit-for-your-research/highlighted-topics”.

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

NCATS and @utmbhealth.bsky.social scientists developed a 3D bioprinted human placenta barrier tissue model that recapitulates the “architecture and function of early- and late-stage human placenta, including barrier function, nutrient uptake, transporters activity and hormones secretion.”

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Müller's conclusion is straightforward: reducing the use of animals requires greater public participation in setting research priorities. Public input should help determine how research funding is allocated and whether it reflects societal values.

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

The paper also explains why decades of investment in the #3Rs have failed to reduce overall animal use. More on the failure of the 3Rs here: www.scienceadvancement.org/reflections/...

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Müller calls this “laissez-faire communitarianism," the belief that "The state should leave the direction of research (what problems are being investigated and how) to the scientific community."

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

In a new paper, @nicodmueller.bsky.social argues that a core feature of modern #sciencepolicy stands in the way of reducing the use of animals in experimentation. Governments fund research and set ethical boundaries, but scientists largely decide which questions receive funding and attention.

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

📅 Wednesday, September 23 ⌚ 7:00 pm 📽️ Village East by Angelika, NYC 📌 RSVP here: forms.gle/iVKvLoNHxKsn...

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

📅 Friday, September 11 ⌚ 6:00 pm 📽️ Spectrum 8 Theatres, Albany 📌 RSVP here: www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticket... 🗨️ Q&A with Steven Latham, @melaniedgkaplan.bsky.social, Meredith Blanchard, Robert Hollocher, and me 🙋‍♀️!

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

📣 New York! Next month there will be 2️⃣ opportunities to watch The New Gold Standard in theaters! I'll be joining the Albany screening virtually for the Q&A. Details and RSVP links in the 🧵 #animaltesting #animalresearch #NAMs

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

How are non-animal methods helping advance research on brain aging, #Alzheimers, and related dementias? Join this #NIA virtual workshop to learn more! 📅 Sept 10-11 🕚 1:00–3:30 ET Register here: nih.zoomgov.com/webinar/regi... #alz #EndAlz #neuroskyence 🧪

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

HIV researchers 🚨 Which human-based platforms will inform the next generation of #HIV science? Join this NIH Mini-Symposium Series to discuss non-animal preclinical advances, immune modeling, validation pathways, & more. Featuring @blishlab.bsky.social, @pompanolab.bsky.social, & more.

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

This project. Y'all. 😭 Thank you to the writers, the artists, and Justify for bringing it all together. 🎨 @danaellyn.bsky.social @hannahwardstudio.bsky.social @katfarrell.bsky.social @janeoharaprojects.bsky.social & others www.justifyglobal.org/portraitsfro...

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Let's keep moving in the right direction. 🚨✒️ Sign our petition to fully modernize cancer research: headlines.peta.org/modernizing-...

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Even with those limitations, the language surrounding human cancer models is stronger than it has ever been. NCI encourages investigators to not think of this as "business as usual."

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

The guidance also categorizes patient-derived xenografts among potential human models, which they are not. When human tumor cells are implanted into mice, they change in ways they never would in a human. They become more mouse-like.

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

NCI continues to fund experiments on animals. Brief explanations of why animals are used and why "alternatives would be inadequate" will not drive change. Who is assessing them? Do they know the history of past failures? Are they familiar with the latest human-based technologies?

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

This is not a boilerplate requirement. Human models should be seriously considered because they provide information directly relevant to the human cancer being studied. The guidance is a strong step in the right direction, but it also shows how much work remains.

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

1️⃣ NCI's new grant guidance states that when proposals include experiments on animals, investigators should include a plan to validate those findings in a human model. They must also explicitly justify their use of animals. Both of these should be in the ABSTRACT. www.cancer.gov/grants-train...

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

ICYMI 💡 NCI made two important, complementary announcements that point cancer research in the same direction. Let's take a look... 🧵 🧪 #oncsky #oncosky #cancer #scipol

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

🆕📌 77% of clinical drug failures are attributed to biological factors typically assessed in experiments on animals before human trials begin. After 60 years, "standardizing" or "improving" experiments on animals has not reduced clinical attrition. Research modernization is needed NOW.

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Read more in this article by @mayoclinic.org's @marlabroadfoot.bsky.social newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/3... #dermatology #dermsky

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

From @mayoclinic.org's Saranya Wyles, MD, PhD, on dermatological research: “Traditional approaches rely heavily on animal testing, but skin biology varies widely across species. Even commonly used preclinical models fall short when it comes to mimicking human skin conditions such as eczema.”

Photo from the article in Mayo Clinic's News Network, "3D-bioprinted human skin model expands options for preclinical research" by Marla Broadfoot, Ph.D., published May 5, 2026. The photo shows Aydin Tahmasebifar, Ph.D., M.S.; Saranya Wyles, M.D., Ph.D.; Rafa Mayumi Simoes Torigoe, REGS Ph.D. Candidate [Credit: Tom Matre]

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Another example of how non-animal methods are modeling complex, multi-organ diseases & uncovering the mechanisms underlying interdependent organ dysfunction: We know that communication between the heart & kidneys is essential for maintaining function, but how do these organs communicate? 🧵

A graphic with a dark purple background featuring a quote in white text: “By combining advanced stem cell-derived cardiac and kidney models, we can now start dissecting inter-organ communication mechanisms that were previously very difficult to study in human systems.” The quote is attributed to Viviana Meraviglia, PhD. A neon green quotation mark appears above the text. In the bottom right is a photo of a scientist working with cell culture in a laboratory hood, overlaid with a neon green eight-point star. A neon green banner at the bottom left reads “reNEW | May 28, 2026.”

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

How is the media shaping public perceptions of #xenotransplantation? 🐷 A newly published study from NYU and collaborators analyzed 208 print media articles covering experimental pig-to-human transplants in the U.S. Some findings stood out: 🧵 #medialiteracy #transplant #bioethics

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Which human kidney model is the best for your research question? With the recent boom in advanced human kidney models, @thecleverslab.bsky.social benchmarked these systems to help researchers choose the most appropriate model for their studies. 🧪 #Nephsky #RenalSky

Graphical abstract of linked paper by Pou Casellas et al. (2026) titled: “Single-cell transcriptomic comparison of tubular segment maturation in advanced human in vitro kidney models”

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Based on real patient scans, these simulators allow trainees to practice treating catastrophic cardiac injuries under realistic conditions, including locating and controlling life-threatening bleeding before repairing the heart.

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Live animals are still used in some trauma surgery training, but advances like these from @ntunews.bsky.social demonstrate that realistic, clinically relevant training needs no animal use. The team developed lifelike torso models that ❤️ beat 🫁 breathe, & 🩸 bleed using synthetic blood.

An photograph of surgeons performing an operation on a fake body. From "Beating and bleeding dummy hearts to train surgeons for emergency trauma injuries" by Chris Birkle, published on 24 April 2026 by Nottingham Trent University. https://www.ntu.ac.uk/about-us/news/news-articles/2026/04/*-graphic-warning-*-beating-and-bleeding-dummy-hearts-to-train-surgeons-for-emergency-trauma-injuries

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Check out this incredible resource created through a large‑scale, team science effort! ~90 scientists from the @alleninstitute.org & UW worked together to map Alzheimer’s disease across the human brain at single‑cell resolution. 🗺️🧠 #neuroskyence #alzsky #brainmap #singlecell

Figures 1a-c from the linked paper. Multi-panel scientific figure summarizing brain region sampling, analytical approach, and cohort data. A shows simplified diagrams of postmortem human brain sections with highlighted regions across disease stages, including DFC, MFC, hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, STG, MTG, and primary visual cortex, with red and orange color overlays indicating regions associated with different Braak stages and Alzheimer’s disease spectrum cases. B presents a workflow diagram linking modalities—quantitative neuropathology, single-nucleus RNA sequencing, ATAC-seq, and genome sequencing—to analyses of pseudo-progression, differential cell-type abundance, and polygenic risk. C displays a large heatmap of SEA-AD cohort participants, organized by demographics and clinical staging. Rows include sex, age at death, postmortem interval, APOE genotype, AD neuropathological change, Braak stage, Thal phase, CERAD score, cognitive status, and comorbidities. Blue shading indicates demographic variation, red gradients indicate increasing Alzheimer’s disease severity, and gray/purple tones indicate co-morbid conditions such as LATE, Lewy body disease, arteriosclerosis, and atherosclerosis.

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

New review from @wyssinstitute.bsky.social on #OrgansOnChips, including their use as preclinical tools, applications in drug discovery, how they compare with other preclinical models, and what's needed to make them even better. #OrganChip #OrganOnAChip #Preclinical #Pharmsky #NAMs 🧪 💊

Dark navy graphic featuring the following quote: "The pharmaceutical industry faces a critical attrition crisis, with ~90% of drug candidates failing in clinical trials largely due to the inability of conventional cell cultures and animal models to accurately predict human responses." A white laboratory mouse among glass ampoules is shown in the lower half. Attributed to Ryan Posey, Alican Özkan, & Donald E. Ingber (2026) from Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews.

Dark navy graphic with the following quote: "Organ Chips enable testing of therapeutics using clinically relevant pharmacokinetic profiles and administration routes, supporting more predictive preclinical assessment of drug efficacy, toxicity, and mechanisms of resistance across a broad range of organ systems and disease states." A researcher holding a capsule is shown in the lower portion. Attributed to Ryan Posey, Alican Özkan, & Donald E. Ingber (2026) from Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews.

Dark navy graphic with the following quote: "Integration of Organ Chips with high-throughput screening, functional genomic approaches, and artificial intelligence represents an emerging shift that enables rapid target identification, drug repurposing, and therapeutic discovery, while potentially reducing clinical failure rates." Two scientists working at a computer in a lab are shown in the upper half. Attributed to Ryan Posey, Alican Özkan, & Donald E. Ingber (2026) from Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews.

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

5️⃣ #funding opportunities are open through the NIH Common Fund's PRIMED‑AI program 🖥️👩‍⚕️🎯 Support is available for projects combining medical imaging with other health data to build clinical decision tools for patient care. Details: commonfund.nih.gov/primed-ai #NIHFunding #PrecisionMedicine 🧪

Informational graphic about NIH Funding Opportunities for the PRIMED-AI Program. The design features a light gray background with circuit board illustrations in the top corners and financial goal/checklist icons in the bottom-left. The header reads "NIH Funding Opportunities – PRIMED-AI Program" followed by a description of the program combining clinical imaging with multimodal health data to develop AI-powered clinical decision support tools. Five funding opportunity cards are displayed: Validation Center (RFA-RM-27-014), Logistics Center (RFA-RM-27-015), Model-to-Clinic (RFA-RM-27-013), Development and Testing of a Multi-use Frameworks Playbook (RFA-RM-27-011), and Data-to-Model: An Academic-Industrial Partnership (RFA-RM-27-012). The footer directs viewers to commonfund.nih.gov/primed-ai for more information

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

Check out SAO's re-cap of #Shock2026! 🧪 Dr. Gabby Vidaurre presented her poster, "Modernizing Sepsis Research to Advance Human Health," heard updates from NIH on priorities for sepsis research, & caught up with investigators across the country doing excellent human-based research in this field.

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

🥇 What do "gold standard," "fidelity," "transferability," & "sustainability" actually measure in #SurgicalSimulation? In this new blog, SAO's Donya Mand, MD draws from 2️⃣ recent conferences to examine curriculum, assessment, & the role of animal use in surgical education. ⬇️ Link #MedSky #SurgSky

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

Laboratory animal personnel as secondary victims of animal experimentation In this new paper, Milford et al. use the "psychosocial hierarchy of controls" to show how the same practices that produce pain, suffering, and death in animals also harm the people who carry them out. 🧵 #bioethics

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

🚨💰🔬 #NIDDK is seeking applications for the next phase of the @kpmproject.bsky.social, specifically to lead the project's Central Hub. ⌛ July 10 files.simpler.grants.gov/opportunitie... 🏷️ #liversky #nephsky #NIHFunding #NIHGrant #NIDDK #U24 #NOFO #ResearchFunding #KidneyResearch #PrecisionMedicine

Informational graphic announcing the NIDDK U24 Opportunity: Kidney Precision Medicine Project Central Hub (RFA-DK-27-303). Application closing date: July 10, 2026. The role provides strategic vision and leadership for a unified KPMP-wide effort to discover and define new disease pathways and subgroups that enable precision clinical trials, focusing on scientific discovery, communication and outreach, and project stewardship. The design features a light blue-gray background with decorative banking/goal-themed illustrations in the corners, a calendar icon, and a circular paint stroke accent.

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Emily R. Trunnell, Ph.D. @ertrunnell.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

📉 @gallup.com's annual moral acceptability poll has been conducted since 2001. 2026 marks the first year more Americans viewed medical testing on animals as morally wrong (48%) than morally acceptable (45%). Another 6% had no opinion or said it depends. news.gallup.com/poll/710981/... #morality

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