CAAT Newsletter: Vol. 13, No. 3, Summer 1996

Announcements

MatTek Awarded NIEHS Grants

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences has awarded a small business (SBIR) grant totalling $342,798 to MatTek Corporation of Ashland, Mass., for the development of a cell culture model composed of corneal epithelium for eye irritancy testing. The first phase of the research, in which corneal cells were harvested, propagated, cryopreserved and differentiated into a cornea-like tissue, has already been completed. An economic evaluation which illustrated that testing costs of the proposed system would halve current whole animal eye irritancy study costs has also been completed by the company.

The next phase of the research will include optimization of the culture system, pre-validation with comparison of in vitro and in vivo results using a published data base of known ocular irritants, and adaptation of the in vitro procedures to human and bovine-derived corneal epithelial cells. For further information on obtaining SBIR grants from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, please contact Dr. Allan Dearry at 919-541-4943.

ICCVAM Report Published

Proceedings of the National Toxicology Program Workshop on Validation and Acceptance of Alternative Toxicological Test Methods, held on December 11-12, 1995 in Arlington, VA., were published in March 1996. To receive a copy of the report, please contact ICCVAM co-chairs Dr. William Stokes, NIEHS, at 919-541-0719, E-mail: stokes@niehs.gov or Dr. Richard Hill, EPA, 202-260-2897, E-mail: hill.richard@epamail.epa.gov

CAAT Newsletter Special Issue on IACUCs

The Winter 1996 (Vol. 13, No. 2) issue of the Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing Newsletter was a special issue devoted to institutional animal care and use committees. Articles include a discussion of "The Search for Alternatives" by Tim Allen and D'Anna Jensen, information specialists at the Animal Welfare Information Center, National Agricultural Library; a community veterinarian's account about serving as an unaffiliated member; and a principal investigator's perspective of the IACUC review process. Copies of this special issue are available free from CAAT (shipped via your Federal Express account). Contact Marilyn Principe, Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing, 111 Market Place, Suite 840, Baltimore MD 21202-6709, (410) 223-1693, Fax (410) 223-1603. E-mail: mprincip@jhsph.edu.