Latest news from the NC3Rs: January 2024

Our new Networks programme aims to bring researchers in key scientific fields together to establish collaborations and catalyse the uptake of 3Rs technologies. We are inviting researchers and stakeholders at all career stages from across academia and industry to join our first two Networks, in cardiovascular sciences and new approach methodologies (NAMs). 

The Oncology Network will be launched later this year, with further themes in development. Contact Dr Rachel Eyre (cardiovascular) or Dr Deb Milligan (NAMs) for more information.   

Find out more about the benefits of joining a Network and access information on NC3Rs-funded projects, funding opportunities and resources through the Cardiovascular and NAMs Network hubs.

• Join the Cardiovascular Network.
• Join the NAMs Network.

Register for the launch events to meet other Network members in person for the first time and discuss Network activities and priorities.

• Register for the Cardiovascular Network launch event on Thursday 18 April.
• Register for the NAMs Network launch event on Tuesday 30 April.

Following best practice guidance for colony management avoids wastage, but efforts to reduce animal use can be complicated by the number of (sub)strains available and the variation in breeding characteristics. A new page on our breeding and colony management hub includes advice from our expert working group and tools from the community, including an online breeding calculator from the University of Zurich, to help scientists and animal technicians optimise breeding design for maintenance and/or experimental cohorts.

If you missed this month's webinar on communication for scientists working to advance the 3Rs, the recording is now available online. Hear from Dr Genevieve Barr, NC3Rs Communications Science Manager, for tips and strategies to maximise the 3Rs impact of your work.

Our Early Career Engagement awards support career progression for NC3Rs-funded PhD students, Training Fellows and postdoctoral researchers, whilst building the 3Rs legacy of their work. The latest round of funding will support eight early careers researchers promote 3Rs advances through workshops, conferences and collaborations, and drive the uptake of new approaches by supporting commercialisation, delivering training and funding pilot and validation studies.

Our latest research round-up explores the 3Rs advances and innovations published last year on the NC3Rs F1000 Gateway. The Gateway promotes better science through publication of detailed results and methods of NC3Rs-funded science on a free to access platform, helping researchers around the world find out about and take up opportunities to replace, reduce or refine animal use in their work.

We have awarded funding to a team led by Professor Toni Cathomen (University of Freiburg, Germany) to develop an in vitro and machine learning approach to evaluate the tumourigenicity of CAR-T cell therapies. The approach developed has the potential to replace the use of animals and improve the tumourigenicity assessment of CAR-T cell therapies.

We are looking for stakeholders from across the biosciences to submit their ideas for new CRACK IT Challenges. As a Sponsor, you will set a Challenge to develop a product that addresses an unmet research question and 3Rs need, providing in-kind support and end-user input. In return, you will receive early access to new technologies developed through your Challenge.

Our Experimental Design Assistant (EDA) helps researchers at any level design robust in vivo experiments. Dr Esther Pearl (NC3Rs Experimental Design Programme Manager) is delivering online training sessions to help you use the EDA to design and plan your next study.

Love Methods week: Designing rigorous experiments with the EDA
Wednesday 31 January, 08.40 – 10.30 (GMT)

In this workshop attendees will learn about the features of the EDA and have time to design their own experiment with live guidance available from Esther. This event is part of 'Love methods week' organised by the QUEST Center for Responsible Research at Charité Berlin Institute of Health, to support scientists to share their methods and help others to reuse methods and data responsibly.

Webinar: Virtual demonstration of the EDA
Tuesday 19 March 2024, 16.00 – 17.00 (GMT)

Join Esther for her regular live EDA demonstration, including a presentation of the key aspects of the online tool followed by a Q&A session. Limited spaces are available on a first come first served basis and attendees are eligible for CPD points.

Thursday 29 February, 11.00 – 16.15 (GMT)
A free to attend online meeting for all those involved in the care, use and regulation of fishes in research and testing. This fourth annual meeting from the RSPCA Animals in Science Department includes talks on health and welfare monitoring, embedding the 3Rs in field studies and practical refinements to housing, husbandry and care.

Tuesday 26 March, 9.30 – 16.00, Bristol, UK
Organised by The Physiological Society, this one day meeting aims to bring in vivo researchers together to hear talks, engage in discussion and exchange ideas on best practice in their work with animals. NC3Rs Programme Managers Dr Chris Barkus and Dr Esther Pearl will be delivering talks on refining high-yield behavioural experiments and using both sexes in experimental design.

Tuesday 9 – Thursday 11 April, Exeter, UK
A workshop to address the latest developments in the field of zebrafish husbandry and care, including the effects of water chemistry on reproducibility and welfare, supported by the NC3Rs and the RSPCA Animals in Science Department. The call for talks and poster abstracts related to any aspect of welfare and reproducibility in zebrafish research has been extended.