Latest news from the NC3Rs: May 2024

Our new scheme will support developer(s) and new user(s) to work together to transfer and test 3Rs approaches, accelerating their adoption. The award scope is broad to enable applicants to tailor their proposal to what is needed for their model to achieve wider 3Rs impacts. Applications can include building an evidence base, demonstrating transferability or applying the model to a new discipline. Studies demonstrating that the approach is fit-for-purpose in a new lab or organisation are encouraged to build further confidence in the model’s use.   

Awards are for up to 24 months and a maximum of £200k (80% FEC). Additional joint awards with Cancer Research UK and British Heart Foundation are available for grants seeking to achieve a 3Rs impact within cancer or cardiovascular research fields.

Apply now for our 2024 round of PhD Studentships, supporting applications centred on the development and application of full replacement approaches. Often referred to collectively as non-animal technologies, full replacement approaches include the use of complex 3D tissue models, organ-on-chips/microphysiological systems, stem cell platforms, established cell lines, and in silico/computational tools. Applications that integrate a range of disciplines or include an industrial partner are particularly encouraged. 

Awards of three or four years duration are available. Two additional three-year joint awards are available with the British Heart Foundation as part of our long standing collaboration. Applications covering replacement, reduction and/or refinement in the field of cardiovascular research are in remit. 

Outline submission deadline: Thursday 6 June, 16.00.

Are you interested in accelerating the 3Rs in safety assessment of chemicals for the protection of human health and the environment? We are looking for a Programme Manager to collaborate with the chemicals industries, academia and regulatory agencies to identify opportunities to apply the 3Rs in chemical safety assessment. 

Applications close Sunday 2 June.

Do you use in vitro models in your research? Are you drafting a manuscript to submit for publication in the next few months? Join our latest round of user testing for the RIVER recommendations. If you would like to receive expert feedback on your manuscript, improve the transparency of your work and increase the chance of successful publication, get in touch: river@nc3rs.org.uk. 

Register your interest by Friday 14 June. 

Send us your draft manuscript by Friday 26 July (at least methods and results for one experiment). 

In our latest blog, our programme lead Dr Elliot Lilley reflects on how the global biologics community drove the success of our project to embed 3Rs approaches in World Health Organisation guidance for the quality, safety and efficacy of vaccines and biological therapeutics.

We have launched a survey as part of our data sharing project to review the use of two species in regulatory toxicology studies. If your company is working with molecules following ICH M3(R2) and you would like to be involved, please get in touch with our Head of Toxicology, Dr Fiona Sewell. 

Thursday 23 May, 9.00 – 11.00 (BST) 

Our EDA tool helps researchers at any level design robust in vivo experiments. During this interactive session our EDA expert Dr Esther Pearl will give a live demonstration of the EDA before answering your questions and providing personalised feedback as you design your own experiment. 

Wednesday 29 May, 14.00 – 15.00 (BST) 

Co-hosted by the NC3Rs and HESI, this webinar will provide an overview of the Virtual Second Species CRACK IT Challenge which is exploiting advances in computational approaches and machine learning to develop a “Virtual Dog” to ultimately replace their use for chronic toxicity studies for new pharmaceuticals.

Researchers from across academia and industry, and regulatory scientists keen to learn more about the exciting potential of machine learning approaches to support safety testing across sectors, are encouraged to register.  

Tuesday 25 June 2024, 10.00 – 17.00 (BST) 

This webinar will focus on refining the use of amphibians in research including updates from the community on care, use. Organised in collaboration with the RSPCA Animals in Science Department and with support from the University of Portsmouth and the University of Cambridge. 

Registration closes: Friday 21 June. 

Wednesday 11 September
Copenhagen 

We are participating in a satellite workshop session at EUROTOX 2024, focusing on dose level selection for Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology (DART) studies. 

This discussion-based session will cover different perspectives on dose selection for reproductive toxicity studies (OECD TGs 414, 421/422 and 443) conducted under REACH, following advice issued by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) in 2022. Speakers include Manon Beekhuijzen (Charles River Laboratories), Ingo Bichlmaier (ECHA) and Fiona Sewell (NC3Rs).

Wednesday 12 June – Friday 14 June 
Bern, Switzerland 

An international symposium dedicated to raising awareness of the SABV initiative and providing evidence-based guidance for integrating SABV into research practices. Held at the University of Bern and funded by the Swiss 3R Competence Centre and Swiss National Science Foundation. 

Deadline for registration: Friday 31 May. 

Tuesday 20 August – Friday 23 August 
Bergen, Norway 

Organised by Norecopa and the University of Bergen and led by experts in systematic reviews from the University of Zurich, this summer school will explore the benefits of systematic reviews of animal studies and cover all the steps needed to perform a systematic review. Early career researchers will be given priority for registration. 

Deadline for applications: Monday 1 July.