260 • Alternatives to Animal Use in Research, Testing, and Education 
tion of models of all types, and the selection of a 
research model appropriate to the problem un- 
der investigation, occurs with every grant. Other 
scientific and ethical considerations may lead to 
reductions and refinements within protocols dur- 
ing the grant review process (see ch. 15). 
National Institutes of Health 
In fiscal year 1985, national expenditures on 
health R&D exceeded $12.8 billion (24). Of this to- 
tal, industry accounted for the largest portion (39 
percent), followed by the National Institutes of 
Health (37 percent), other Federal research, and 
other funding groups (24). Of health R&D sup- 
ported by the Federal Government, NIH has funded 
approximately 90 percent in recent years (13). 
About 60 percent of the research funded by NIH 
can be characterized as basic (25). NIH basic re- 
search has accounted in recent years for about 
40 percent of all Federal basic research conducted 
(18). 
Until recently, NIH had no concerted program 
under which it pursued the development of alter- 
natives in research, as opposed to any such meth- 
ods that may occur as byproducts during investi- 
gations. However, the new Biological Models and 
Materials Resources Section within the Division 
of Research Resources may assume this function. 
This office was created in February 1985 and 
its function was mandated (Public Law 99-158) in 
November 1985 to address the need to explore and 
support the use of nonanimal models in biomedi- 
cal research. Its missions include developing the 
use of cell systems, lower organisms, and nonbio- 
logical systems (mathematical and computer mod- 
els) for biomedical research and actually provid- 
ing biological materials that serve as critically 
important resources to the biomedical research 
community, such as those just mentioned (28). 
The office intends to implement some of the rec- 
ommendations offered in the recent report of the 
National Academy of Sciences' Committee on Mod- 
els for Biomedical Research: 
• As favorable systems are identified, the NIH 
should strive to make them readily available 
to the research community by providing sup- 
port to supply organisms for research, main- 
taining stock centers for mutant strains and 
for cell lines, facilitating access to computer 
programs for biomedical modeling, maintain- 
ing databases like those for protein and DNA 
sequences, and providing long-term support 
for collections of cloned genes and useful vec- 
tors or collections of monoclonal antibodies. 
• NIH should consider supporting proposals 
whose objective is the development of model 
systems for specific research areas. Indeed, 
funds might be targeted for the development 
of new model systems that appear to be par- 
ticularly promising. 
• NIH should encourage interest in nonmam- 
malian systems through postdoctoral fellow- 
ships, symposia, and direct support of model 
development (12). 
The office today tracks the use of model systems 
in research supported by NIH and serves as NIH’s 
focal point for the exchange of information with 
individuals, organizations, and institutions con- 
cerning the use of model systems in biomedical 
research. In addition, the Biological Models and 
Materials Resources Section serves as the new 
home of four previously existing resources: 
• The American Type Culture Collection: 
Support for this collection of cultured cells, 
$600,000 in fiscal year 1985, was recently 
transferred from the NIH Director’s office. 
• The Massachusetts Institute of Technology 
Cell Culture Center: This, facility produces 
animal cells in large quantities tailored to spe- 
cific investigator needs; 85 percent of its users 
are NIH grantees. Funding is in the process 
of being taken over from NSF in fiscal year 
1985 (NIH contribution: $165,000) and will be 
complete in fiscal year 1986. 
• Caenorhabditis elegans Genetics Center: 
This resource serves as a repository for 
nematodal mutants and a clearinghouse for 
the mapping of the C. elegans genome. It is 
supported jointly with the National Institute 
of Aging ($15,000 in fiscal year 1985). 
• National Diabetes Research Interchange: 
This information resource is supported jointly 
with the National Institute of Arthritis, Dia- 
