title: NIH initiative to balance sex of animals in preclinical studies: generative questions to guide policy, implementation, and metrics.
abstract: In May of 2014, the NIH Director together with the Director of the Office of Research on Women's Health announced plans to take a multi-dimensional approach to address the over reliance on male cells and animals in preclinical research. The NIH is engaging the scientific community in the development of policies to improve the sex balance in research. The present, past, and future presidents of the Organization for the Study of Sex Differences, in order to encourage thoughtful discussion among scientists, pose a series of questions to generate ideas in three areas: 1. research strategies, 2. educational strategies, and 3. strategies to monitor effectiveness of policies to improve the sex balance in research. By promoting discussion within the scientific community, a consensus will evolve that will move science forward in a productive and effective manner.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Neuroscience, The University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington 06030, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Louise D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: McCullough
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta 30302, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Geert J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: de Vries
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St. SW, Rochester 55905, MN, USA ; Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St. SW, Rochester 55905, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Virginia M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Jill B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.affiliation: Center for the study of Sex Differences in Health, Aging and Disease, Georgetown University, Washington 20057, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sandberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore 21201, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Margaret M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: McCarthy
keywords: Gender; Sex differences; Sexual dimorphism