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Utrecht University
UMC Utrecht
The mission statement of the 3Rs-Centre of Utrecht University is to stimulate the development, acceptance and implementation of methods which can Replace, Reduce and Refine (the 3Rs) animal experiments. The Centre facilitates the 3Rs in education and animal research in many ways, by providing information and advice about 3Rs models.

 
Coupling organoids to study systemic effects of kidney disease and treatment
Bas van Balkom is a cell biologist in the Department of Nephrology and Hypertension of the UMC Utrecht. The lab is housed in the Regenerative Medicine Center Utrecht, where he aims to develop regenerative therapies for kidney diseases. As such diseases affect the entire body, animal research seems inevitable, but Bas is combining multiple organs on a chip so that systemic effects of disease and potential therapies can be studied in vitro.

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Utrecht scientist awarded the 2020 Lush prize for young scientists
Utrecht scientist Edoardo Carnesecchi (IRAS, Utrecht University) wins the Young Researcher Lush 2020 prize for his work on an innovative software platform to assess chemical mixtures toxicity and exposure. He is developing a free web-based in-silico platform to predict human health related effects.

Watch the prize winners
 
Virtual Human Platform
Almost 10 million euro is granted for building the 'Human Virtual Platform for assessing the safety of chemicals and pharmaceuticals without using laboratory animals'. The multidisciplinary consortium, which is composed of universities, medical centres, companies, government, NGO’s, etc., aims to build the platform based on human biology and physiology.
More information
 
Animal-free strategies in food safety & nutrition

The ILSI Expert Group on 'non-animal testing strategies in food safety research' published the paper “Animal-free strategies in food safety & nutrition: What are we waiting for? Part I: Food safety”. 

This paper reviews possibilities, opportunities and challenges for the potential use of non-animal testing strategies in food safety research, which can ultimately be used in support of regulatory submissions for pre-market authorisation.

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Survey on microsampling  within studies for drug and (agro)chemical developmenton
The NC3Rs has promoted microsampling as a blood sampling technique that can support both refinements and reductions in animal use.  A new survey aims to gather information on current approaches and opinions on the use of microsampling, to establish the species and study types where microsampling is commonly incorporated, the 3Rs benefits achieved and reasons/barriers to adoption of the technique where relevant.  
If you use a microsampling technique for sampling of blood/other fluids within any research or safety study for new drugs and/or (agro)chemicals, please share your experience and the 3Rs impacts you have achieved.  
Survey
 
3Minute 3Rs
The NC3Rs, the North American 3Rs Collaborative, and Lab Animal publish a monthly stream highlighting recent 3Rs activities.

Other 3Rs video's and podcast can be found on the NC3Rs website.
3Min-3Rs website
 
Call for Proposals: 2021 Reduction and Refinement Award
The Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT) is now accepting proposals for the 2021 Reduction and Refinement Award.
This award focuses on research projects that help reduce animal use by (for example) identifying areas of research and testing where animal models lack reproducibility and translational value or that enhance the housing, handling, and/or experimental procedures for laboratory animals who are still deemed necessary.
More infrormation
 
Oproep Willy van Heumen prijs
Het Willy van Heumenfonds gaat in 2021 opnieuw de Willy van Heumenprijs toekennen. De prijs is vastgesteld op € 15.000,-, naar eigen inzicht te besteden aan het welzijn van dieren. In aanmerking komen wetenschappers/onderzoekers die in de afgelopen twee jaar een afgerond onderzoek hebben gepubliceerd waarmee een substantiële bijdrage is geleverd aan het vervangen, verminderen of verfijnen van dierproeven (3V’S).
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Survey on the use of animal-derived materials in in vitro research

The Italian NGO OSA (Oltre la Sperimentazione Animale, Beyond Animal Experimentation), in collaboration with EURL ECVAM and other partners, aims to understand what are the most commonly used animal-derived materials and reagents (e.g., animal sera, antibodies, etc.) in in-vitro experimentation, and what is the current level of knowledge on available non-animal derived alternatives.
By participating in this survey you will help creating a framework to shape the policy in science and education. 

Link to survey
 
Support our activities!
The 3Rs-Centre  maintains the 3Rs databases: The Humane Endpoints Website, the Interspecies Database and the FCS-free Database. These websites contribute to the refinement, reduction and replacement of animals used for research and are free of charge for their users. The website does not receive any financial support and their future relies on donations and gifts. You can help us with keeping these websites available for free by donating a small amount of money for the maintenance and updating of these databases. We are happy with all donations! The 3Rs Programme is part of the charitable fund Friends of VetMed, and as such is exempt from any gift or inheritance taxes. This means that 100% of your donation will contribute towards the purpose specified by you.
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3584 CM UTRECHT
(+31) 30 253 8009
3RsCentreULS@uu.nl
www.uu.nl/3RsCentre

Other 3Rs-Centre websites:
www.humane-endpoints.info
www.interspeciesinfo.com
fcs-free.org

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