Webinar and video

MRC/NC3Rs webinar: Using both sexes in animal experiments

Including both sexes in your experiments is increasingly being expected by regulators, funders and publishers. The MRC has recently introduced the requirement to include both sexes in experimental design and analysis plans for future funding rounds.

This joint webinar from the NC3Rs and the MRC explores how to address common challenges when planning, conducting and analysing animal experiments involving both sexes. It gives practical advice for including both sexes in experimental design and analysis and covers husbandry and other considerations when working with animals of both sexes, with tips to manage any issues.

Webinar recording

Download the presentation slides

MRC’s new expectations on the inclusion of sex in experimental design (Dr Stella Child, UKRI - MRC).pdf

PDF 597.48 KB

Let’s talk about sex - addressing misconceptions and barriers to including both sexes (Dr Natasha Karp, AstraZeneca).pdf

PDF 626.63 KB

Husbandry, phenotyping and other considerations (Dr Sara Wells, Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell).pdf

PDF 2.49 MB

FAQs

A compilation of FAQs (based on the Q&A from this webinar) will be available shortly.

Further resources

The Experimental Design Assistant (EDA) provides guidance for considering sex when designing your studies. From why including both sexes is important, to the different ways you can account for sex in your analysis.
The NIH has resources for integrating sex into research.
Guidance on the new MRC requirements in relation to using both sexes: Sex in experimental design.
MRC report: Sex in experimental design (includes summary of responses to the MRC survey).
NC3Rs guidance for minimising aggression in group-housed mice.
NC3Rs webinar on managing aggression in laboratory animals.

Publications

Karp NA and Reavey N (2018). Sex bias in preclinical research and an exploration of how to change the status quo. British Journal of Pharmacology 176(21):4107-4118 doi: 10.1111/bph.14539
McCarthy MM (2015). Incorporating Sex as a Variable in Preclinical Neuropsychiatric Research. Schizophrenia Bulletin 41(5):1016-20 doi: 10.1093/schbul/sbv077
Garcia-Sifuentes Y and Maney DL (2021). Reporting and misreporting of sex differences in the biological sciences. Elife 10 doi: 10.7554/eLife.70817
Becker JB et al. (2016). Female rats are not more variable than male rats: a meta-analysis of neuroscience studies. Biol Sex Differ 7:34 doi: 10.1186/s13293-016-0087-5
Prendergast BJ et al. (2014). Female mice liberated for inclusion in neuroscience and biomedical research. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 40:1-5 doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.01.0016.
Bachmann AM et al. (2022). Genetic background and sex control the outcome of high-fat diet feeding in mice. iScience 25(6):104468 doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104468
Herbert E et al. (2020). The occurrence of tarsal injuries in male mice of C57BL/6N substrains in multiple international mouse facilities. PLoS One 15(6):e0230162 doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0230162