Southern Research receives an $8 million NIH grant to build a national hub for advancing New Approach Methodologies (NAMs). This Translational Hub for Research, Innovation, Validation, and Excellence (THRIVE) will aid the development of biomedical science and new drugs.
THRIVE will be a shared resource facility for lab-based, computational, and data-driven research. This research methodology will help in representing human biology better while decreasing dependence on animal experimentation. Additionally, NAMs can enable scientists to determine whether the medicines would work prior to entering clinical trials. Human-related models along with advanced computational tools will help in enhancing treatment strategies. In turn, scientists will be able to make informed decisions regarding drug development.
Nevertheless, scientists need to gather adequate evidence in support of the methods before implementing them. Thus, THRIVE will work directly with research partners in order to develop, test, and validate NAMs.
“This NIH award gives us the opportunity to build something much more than a new laboratory,” said Harry Ledebur, PhD, chief operating officer at Southern Research. “THRIVE is designed to close the gap between innovation and application by bringing human-relevant models, advanced analytics, reference data, and scientific and regulatory expertise together in one environment. This integration will allow us to rigorously evaluate NAMs, benchmark their performance, and generate the evidence needed for their use across drug discovery, development, and regulatory decision-making.”
Expanding Access to Biomedical Research
THRIVE will allow NIH scientists, government scientists, biotechnology firms, and pharmaceutical companies to have access to Southern Research’s models, data, and expertise. Furthermore, THRIVE will be located close to Station 41, which is Southern Research’s commercialization center. Station 41 assists biotechnology firms by providing an incubator program, an accelerator program, and a therapeutics fund.
The closeness of THRIVE to Station 41 will enable these young firms to access models and scientific expertise relevant to humans. This will enable them to develop their therapies.
Strengthening Birmingham’s Biomedical Innovation Ecosystem
While THRIVE will augment the preclinical and translational research capability that Southern Research already has in place, Station 41 will be the home for business formation, investments, and commercialization. Both these facilities will help to bridge the gap between scientific discoveries and the creation of medicines.
“THRIVE represents an important step in building the next generation of biomedical research capabilities at Southern Research and across Birmingham,” said Ray Watts, M.D., interim chief executive officer of Southern Research and president of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. “Together, Southern Research and UAB are building the scientific infrastructure and collaborative environment needed to turn discovery into impact. THRIVE strengthens Birmingham’s position as a destination for biomedical innovation and expands our ability to move promising science toward better treatments for patients.”
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News Source: Businesswire.com
