$649K in expenses

The "annual open" grant program funds innovative alternative methods to reduce or replace animal use in research and testing.in 2024, ARDF funded the following projects for scientific research: 1) new human models for the study of atrial fibrillation; 2) in vitro transplantation modeling using induced pluripotent STEM cell-derived grafts; 3) modeling human bone marrow engraftment and hematopoiesis in a micro-fluidic platform; 4) a human bladder model to decipher host-uropathogen interactions from tissue to single-cells; 5) computational discovery of long non-coding rnas as novel relapse risk biomarkers for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia; 6) a human precision-cut lung slice-based platform for fibrotic drug discovery; 7) developing human cell-based glioblastoma models free from animal derivatives; 8) modeling joint pain using an animal-free system on a CHIP; 9) developing a model to study lipid bodies and sex-dependent immune responses in human monocyte-derived macrophages; 10) regulatory t cell suppressive functions in migraine.this year's focus on developing models to aid development of treatments underscores the tremendous potential of in vitro models for biomedical research. By supporting research to develop alternative, animal-free models, ARDF continues to advance both animal welfare and human health.ARDF also added its expertise to policy discussions of advancing alternative methods. For example, in 2024, ARDF president sue leary served on the scientific advisory committee on alternative toxicological methods to a department of the national institutes of health. ARDF awarded the william and eleanor cave award to anna lowit, PHD, for her career accomplishments in implementing alternative approaches in chemical and pesticide testing. ARDF sponsored scientific meetings, and education and outreach on alternative methods to accelerate understanding and collaboration.