Latest news from the NC3Rs: April 2025

The deadline for this year's 3Rs Prize is fast approaching! Don’t forget to submit your publication for consideration by completing the short application form – apply by Thursday 1 May to be in with a chance of winning the £28k prize grant and a £2k personal award. If you are attending the British Toxicology Society congress or SETAC Europe next month, come and say hello to our Toxicology and Regulatory Sciences team. Coming up this week, we are looking forward to meeting attendees at Critical connections with the 3Rs and our NAMs Network symposium – hope to see you there!

Survey: New approach methodologies in safety assessment

Take part in our stakeholder engagement survey on new approach methodologies. If you are involved in the development and application of replacement technologies for toxicity testing or the submission and assessment of data for regulatory decision making, this is your opportunity to tell us your priority areas and unmet needs that if addressed would facilitate the use of new approach methodologies in safety assessment.

Take the survey: Facilitating the development and uptake of new approach methodologies in safety assessment.

The Sex Inclusive Research Framework: Addressing sex bias to reduce animal use

A new publication in Nature Communications describes a tool to check whether sex has been considered when designing and assessing in vivo research proposals, ensuring studies produce generalisable and meaningful results using the fewest number of animals. The Sex Inclusive Research Framework (SIRF) was was developed by an expert working group of scientists, statisticians and research funders, including NC3Rs team members Drs Nathalie Percie du Sert (Director of Research Practice) and Esther Pearl (Programme Manager, Experimental Design).

Find out more about the importance of sex inclusive research for reducing animal use and the development of SIRF.

Non-animal approaches across Europe: Driving change Togeth3R

The latest webinar series in our ongoing collaboration with 3Rs centres across Europe showcased non-animal approaches in fields of research associated with high levels of animal use: infection and immunity, oncology, neuroscience and cardiovascular science. With over 3,200 scientists attending from six continents and 53 countries, the interest in this series highlights a global drive to develop and use models that deliver the best science and replace animal use. If you were not able to attend, the recordings of the talks are available.

Find out more and watch the recordings.

Tickets on sale: Pint of Science

As partners of Pint of Science we have been taking part in the annual science festival since 2014, sharing NC3Rs-funded research in pubs and public spaces across the country. Our events this year span the length of the UK and explore the 3Rs in three different scientific themes, from engineering to ecology and biomedical research.

Monday 19 May, London – Taking tech from lab to life.
Tuesday 20 May, Exeter – Talking biology: From A(nimal research) to Z(oology).
Wednesday 21 May, Edinburgh – Body-free biology.

Virtual workshop: Using the Experimental Design Assistant

Tuesday 20 May, 9.00 – 11.00 (GMT)
Our Experimental Design Assistant (EDA) tool helps researchers at any level design robust in vivo experiments. During this interactive session Dr Esther Pearl, Programme Manager for Experimental Design, will give a live demonstration of the EDA before answering your questions and providing personalised feedback as you design your own experiment.

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