Southern Research has been awarded an $8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to build the Translational Hub for Research, Innovation, Validation, and Excellence (THRIVE).
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Southern Research will work to develop and validate new research methods that will reduce reliance on animal studies and speed up the development of new drugs.
THRIVE will be a national shared-use biomedical research facility focused on accelerating the development, validation, and adoption of new approach methodologies (NAMs), a broad range of laboratory, computational, and data-driven approaches designed to better reflect human biology and reduce reliance on animals in drug discovery and development.
NAMs have the potential to reshape drug discovery and development by giving researchers better ways to understand how potential medicines may work in people before they reach clinical trials. Using human-relevant models and advanced computational tools, NAMs will not only reduce the need for animal testing but also accelerate the development of life-saving medicines by helping researchers identify better treatment strategies, move promising therapies into clinical testing sooner, and make more informed decisions about which approaches are most likely to succeed in patients.
The challenge is turning the promise of NAMs into tools that researchers, drug developers, and regulators can rely on. More than a technology access center, THRIVE will work directly with collaborators to develop and deploy NAMs against specific research and development needs, comparing them against existing animal and human data.
“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.”
As a national shared-use resource, THRIVE will give NIH investigators and U.S. government researchers, alongside biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, access to Southern Research’s models, data, and expertise.
THRIVE will be steps away from Station 41, Southern Research’s commercialization hub, which supports biotech startups through its incubator, accelerator, and therapeutics fund. That proximity will give early-stage companies direct access to the human-relevant models, data, and expertise they need to test and advance new therapies.
Together with Southern Research’s existing preclinical and translational research capabilities, THRIVE will strengthen the path from scientific discovery to new medicines. Station 41 extends that path through company formation, investment, and commercialization. By bringing these capabilities together on one campus, Southern Research is building a differentiated research-to-commercialization ecosystem and helping position Birmingham as a destination for biomedical innovation.
“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.”
About Southern Research
Southern Research is a nonprofit scientific research organization dedicated to translating innovative science into practical solutions that improve human health. For 85 years, Southern Research has advanced drug discovery, drug development, clinical development, and data-driven innovation to address some of society’s most pressing challenges.
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