The Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing is an academic center affiliated with the Division of Toxicological Sciences in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences of the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.

 

Johns Hopkins School of Public Health

Research Grants 1984-1985

Development of an In Vitro System for Testing Irritants of Vaginal Mucous Membrane

Norman H. Dubin, PhD
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland

Norman H. Dubin, PhD, associate professor of gynecology and obstetrics at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, received renewed CAAT funding for his research in alternative tests for vaginal products, such as drugs, deodorants, and contraceptives.

He already has discovered that vaginal, cervical, and uterine tissues of rats continue to respond to chemical irritation when removed and placed in vitro. The tissues' release of hormones called prostanoids gives a good indication of the amount of irritation. A test based on this response may immediately reduce the number of animals used, Dr. Dubin said.