Latest news from the NC3Rs: June 2026

Working in collaboration with the MRC, BBSRC, EPSRC and Innovate UK we are inviting submissions to inform a prioritisation exercise, identifying areas where alternative methods that replace animal use would have the most significant impact. Whether your research currently relies on animals or you are using in vitro or in silico alternatives, this is your opportunity to input into delivery of the Government’s strategy to replace animals in science. The form is open to researchers, model developers and innovators working in academia and industry, and should take no longer than 15 minutes to complete.

Over 300 attendees from 26 countries joined us across two sessions focused on the essential role of anaesthesia in minimising pain, distress and adverse physiological effects for research animals. Veterinary anaesthetists from the Research Animal Anaesthesia Network (RAAN) covered the importance of good practice for improved animal welfare and reliable experimental outcomes, practical approaches to addressing common challenges, monitoring animals during general anaesthesia and the use of injectable agents.

A set of three leaflets are available to engage public audiences about efforts to replace, reduce and refine animal use in research, featuring definitions and practical applications to demonstrate how the 3Rs support better science and improved animal welfare. Created by Dr Yu Liu, Research Operations Manager at the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, with support and funding through the NC3Rs public engagement award scheme, the leaflets debuted at the Great Exhibition Road Festival in London this month at a stand run by animal facility staff.

Tuesday 14 July, 16.00 – 18.00 (BST) 

The NC3Rs Experimental Design Assistant (EDA) tool helps researchers at any level design robust in vivo experiments. During this interactive session Dr Esther Pearl (Programme Manager – Experimental Design) will give a live demonstration of the EDA before answering your questions and providing personalised feedback as you design your own experiment.

Final session: Wednesday 15 July, 14.00 – 15.15 (BST)

Our new approach methodologies (NAMs) series showcases technologies to replace animal use in toxicity testing and provides collaboration opportunities for their further method development, qualification and use. Registration is open for the final session, featuring a genetically engineered lung cancer model, an embryonic zebrafish assay for developmental toxicity, lab-grown musculoskeletal tissues and human cardiac and multi-tissue safety screening assays.

Recordings and speaker contact details for the first five sessions are available. The series has covered NAMs to support regulatory safety testing of medicines, environmental chemicals and consumer products, including bioavailability studies and compound screening, developmental and reproductive toxicity, genotoxicity, neurotoxicity, direct exposure effects and off-target toxicities for organs including the heart, liver, lung and bone.

Tuesday 8 September – Wednesday 9 September, Exeter, UK

The Galleria mellonella workshop returns for a fifth year with an extended programme over two days, including a research seminar alongside hands-on laboratory sessions. The Galleria Mellonella Research Centre (GMRC) at the University of Exeter organise this annual workshop for anyone currently working with or interested in using wax moth larvae, to exchange knowledge on research applications and techniques and support the uptake of Galleria as a partial replacement model. Attendees are invited to share their research with both presentation abstracts and posters welcomed.