Latest news from the NC3Rs: January 2025

This month we have funding opportunities, awards to announce and webinars to share with you. In January we awarded the first ARRIVE poster prize to recognise transparent reporting of animal research at conferences. On the NC3Rs gateway our grant holders published two method articles on supporting amphibian welfare and replacing mouse models of thrombosis. Finally, a reminder that the deadline for the 2025 CRACK IT open call is fast approaching – if your organisation is facing a scientific or research challenge that could be solved with a 3Rs approach, make sure you submit your CRACK IT Challenge idea by Monday 10 February.

£1.2M awarded through inaugural Partnerships and impact funding call

We are pleased to announce the first awards in our Partnerships and impact funding competition. The seven projects support the sharing of 3Rs approaches between labs working in infectious disease, oncology and cardiovascular research, helping to build confidence and capacity in their use and accelerate their adoption into routine scientific practice.

Find out more about our first Partnerships and impact awards.

Public engagement awards: Apply for up to £2k

We have funding available for animal facility staff and researchers at all career stages to share their work with public audiences. Read examples of projects supported by our public engagement awards and get in touch to discuss your idea: genevieve.barr@nc3rs.org.uk.

Applications close: Monday 24 March.

Find out more and apply: Public engagement awards.

Webinar series: Non-animal approaches across Europe

The latest webinar series from The Togeth3R Consortium of European 3Rs centres will showcase non-animal approaches in the top four highest areas of animal use for basic research in the UK and Europe. From organoids to microphysiological systems, using patient-derived samples or computational modelling, the series will showcase the efforts across Europe to deliver better science and replace animal models.

Non-animal approaches in infection and immunity: Wednesday 26 February.
Non-animal approaches in oncology: Wednesday 5 March.
Non-animal approaches in neuroscience: Wednesday 12 March.
Non-animal approaches in cardiovascular science: Wednesday 19 March.

Find out more about the non-animal approaches across Europe webinar series.

Developing new approach methodologies to replace the use of birds in toxicity testing

Work is underway on the Wings of Change CRACK IT Challenge to develop new approach methodologies (NAMs) to evaluate the potential risks that chemicals such as pesticides pose to birds. We have awarded £300k proof-of-concept funding to two teams with a further £1.5M available later this year to develop and integrate NAMs into a framework to reduce the number of animals used for regulatory risk assessment.

Find out more about the first phase of the Wings of Change CRACK IT Challenge.

The ARRIVE study plan: Maximising the transparency of each experiment

Thursday 30 January, 14.00 – 15.00 (GMT)
Learn more about the new ARRIVE study plan and how thorough planning and transparent recording of in vivo studies increases the quality of research data. Designed for all those involved in animal research and ethical review.

Love methods week: Rigorous experimental design with the EDA

Tuesday 25 February, 16.00 – 18.00 (GMT)
Join Dr Esther Pearl (Programme Manager for Experimental Design) for an online Experimental Design Assistant (EDA) workshop, including time to design your own experiment with live guidance and support. This event is part of Love Methods Week organised by the QUEST Center for Responsible Research at Charité Berlin Institute of Health.

Technology Partn3Ring: Cardiovascular technologies

Thursday 27 February, 15.00 – 16.00 (GMT)
If you work in cardiovascular sciences join us at our next Technology Partn3Ring webinar to hear about opportunities to collaborate with academics and SMEs and access their 3Rs technologies to advance cardiovascular research. The showcased technologies will be of interest researchers, clinicians and pharmaceutical and biotech industry professionals.

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