The landscape of biomedical research is changing, and a new strategic partnership is leading the way toward human-focused models.
Precisionary Instruments and the International Institute for the Advancement of Medicine (IIAM) have announced a powerful collaboration that will accelerate the use of precision-cut tissue slices (PCTS) in scientific research. This alliance comes at a critical time, aligning perfectly with a fundamental shift in how the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is prioritizing funding.The NIH Mandate: Prioritizing Human-Based Models
As of April 29, 2025, the NIH is signaling a major change: all new Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs) must support human-based approaches, moving funding away from exclusive reliance on traditional animal models.
This new focus includes:
- Clinical trials and real-world data
- Organoids and perfused organs
- Precision-cut human tissue slices (PCTS)
This mandate makes access to high-quality human tissue and the technology to work with it more crucial than ever.The Power of Precision: What the Partnership Delivers
This collaboration brings together two world-class organizations to create a seamless pipeline for researchers:
- IIAM’s Expertise: As a division of MTF Biologics, IIAM has unparalleled experience in tissue recovery, screening over 34,000 non-transplantable organs annually for research.
- Precisionary’s Technology: The company’s flagship Compresstome® vibrating microtomes are designed to produce thin, highly viable human tissue slices—the ideal format for ex vivo experiments and for meeting the NIH’s new priorities.
The partnership is Precisionary Instruments’ first formal alliance with a nonprofit organization, underscoring a shared commitment to honoring donor legacy through impactful scientific use.
“This collaboration is about advancing science in metabolic disorders, end-stage organ failure, and other debilitating diseases while respecting the humanity of donation,” says Gina Dunne Smith, Executive Director at IIAM.
Focus and Next Steps
The new alliance provides academic, biotech, and clinical scientists with a complete “donor to research sample” solution, complete with co-branded protocols, training, and resources.
The initial focus will be on precision-cut lung, liver, and kidney slices, with educational outreach, researcher webinars, and co-branded protocols launching in Spring 2026.
As Dr. Abigail Chu, MD-PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at Precisionary Instruments, notes, “This collaboration represents more than just a technological alliance—it’s a mission-driven effort… Our work with IIAM directly enables that transition [to human-based models].”
In the coming months, look for joint presentations at major scientific conferences, a blog series detailing the full workflow, and webinars featuring researchers who are already using human donor tissue to push the boundaries of disease understanding and therapeutic development.
Access the full press release here: https://precisionary.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Precisionary-Instruments_IIAM_Press-Release.pdf
- Learn more about IIAM at www.iiam.org.
- Learn more about Precisionary Instruments at www.precisionary.com.