The Biomedical Research Institute (BRI) is a  501 (c)(3) nonprofit research company committed to improving global health through a variety of research and service activities.

For over 40 years, with the financial support of the NIH, its mission has been to reduce the global health burden imposed by infectious diseases of the developing world in general, and targeting Schistosomiasis, a deadly parasitic disease in particular.  This disease is responsible for 250,000 deaths annually in 78 countries, causing significant morbidity primarily in sub-Saharan Africa and parts of mediterranean Europe, South America and rural China.

To carry out its schistosomiasis life cycle maintenance work, BRI maintains an AAALAC accredited small animal facility that is registered with the USDA and maintains an Animal Welfare Assurance permit through the NIH Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW).

All animal care and use activities are conducted in compliance with applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations and are managed by the organization's institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC).