# Laboratory of Developmental Biology

> **NIH NIH R24** · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 2024 · $981,430

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
The Birth Defects Research Laboratory (BDRL) is the only NIH-funded fetal tissue repository available to
scientific recipients in the US. HFT is irreplaceable for biomedical research because animal and cellular
models of human development and disease do not fully match or recapitulate human development and
disease. Also, differences in brain and other organs in development have been identified between humans and
animal models. Animal and cellular models may not contain the full mixture of cell types or fully mimic
tissue/organ structure. Engineered mutations in developmental genes maybe embryonically lethal in model
organisms rendering such genes intractable to study by this approach. Creation of humanized mice to model
human infectious, immunological and neoplastic diseases requires xenografting of HFT. Comparison between
model systems and native human tissue including HFT is required to ensure that conclusions based on model
systems are applicable to human biology and medicine. Further, human-specific genes cannot be studied in
model organisms and adult-stem cells cannot be used to study all disorders, especially those that have a base
in prenatal development. The BDRL is therefore a crucial scientific resource to retain for facilitating biomedical
research progress, especially since alternative commercial laboratories maybe embroiled in controversy
related to accusations of trade in HFT. The near 60-year track record and success of the BDRL has been
proven many times over from consistent provision of recipient-related scientific services with HFT, fully
compliant with strict ethical and research guidelines, without transgression. Spectacular technological
advances in biology, notably -omics have greatly expanded research opportunities for utilizing HFT to facilitate
novel insights. These advances confirm the rationale for the laboratory to continue to innovate and undertake
collaborations to evaluate and synergistically demonstrate novel experimental approaches to maximize the
scientific utility of HFT. This application seeks to develop the resource beyond the core fundamental goal of the
systematic collection and processing of fetal specimens for distribution of HFT and biologics to recipients. We
propose to further develop the research resource by continuing to engage with collaborators to synergistically
develop their research and develop our expertise and services. Concurrently, this serves to promote
awareness of the laboratory to increase recipient recruitment, as well as enhance research progress into the
bases of human development and disease.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10899645
- **Project number:** 5R24HD000836-58
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- **Principal Investigator:** Ian Amos Glass
- **Activity code:** R24 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $981,430
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1979-05-01 → 2028-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10899645

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10899645, Laboratory of Developmental Biology (5R24HD000836-58). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10899645. Licensed CC0.

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