Midwest Research Institute Awarded NIH Contract to Provide Analytical Chemistry Services Supporting National Toxicology Program

In nearly 40 years of continuous support to the National Toxicology Program (NTP), MRI has studied more than 2,000 chemicals and prepared in excess of 5,000 reports on chemicals in everyday use for which there had been limited toxicological data

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Midwest Research Institute (MRI), one of the nation's leading independent research organizations, with more than 65-years of experience in scientific research, has been awarded a $31 million contract from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.  Under the 5-year contract, MRI scientists will provide chemical procurement, handling, and analytical chemistry services requested by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) for toxicology studies in progress throughout the U.S.  

Typically, chemicals selected by NTP for study are chosen because of the high concern for public or occupational health or because of their close structural relationship to chemicals known to have toxic effects at a high exposure index.  Chemicals tested for toxicity can include ingredients in foods, personal care products, prescription drugs, nutritional supplements, household cleaners, and lawn care products.  

The contract is a continuation of work provided by MRI for the NIH's NTP since 1972 and includes studies such as: 2Year Bio-assay, Short-Term Toxicology, Developmental Toxicology, Reproductive Toxicology, and High Throughput Screening Initiative for Predictive Toxicology. During that time, MRI has issued more than 5,000 technical reports on almost 2,000 different study chemicals and processed almost 3,000 High Throughput Screening chemicals.

"We are proud to that NIH has selected MRI to continue our chemistry support for NTP toxicology research programs.  Not only is the NTP one of our longest running continuous programs, with the first NTP contract dating back to the early 1970s, we are honored to provide such an important service to the public," said MRI Senior Vice President and Director of Research Operations Thomas M. Sack, Ph.D.  

This project has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract No. HHSN273021100001C.

For more information about the National Toxicology Program (NTP) visit:  http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/

About Midwest Research Institute

Midwest Research Institute (MRI), a not-for-profit scientific research organization with nearly 2,800 employees under management nationwide, performs contract research and laboratory consulting services for clients in government, industry, and academia.  Established in 1944, MRI is one of the nation’s leading independent research institutes, conducting research in the areas of national security and defense, energy and environment, life sciences, food and agriculture, and transportation safety.  With headquarters in Kansas City, Mo., MRI also has operations in Colorado, Florida, Kansas, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia.

MRI is one of two partners in the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC, which manages and operates the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colo., for the U.S. Department of Energy.  

For more information, visit www.mriresearch.org.

SOURCE Midwest Research Institute