Advances in Animal Models and Cutting-Edge Research in Alternatives: Proceedings of the Second International Conference on 3Rs Research and Progress, Hyderabad, 2021

Abstract

The fact that animal models fail to replicate human disease faithfully is now being widely accepted by researchers across the globe. As a result, they are exploring the use of alternatives to animal models. The time has come to refine our experimental practices, reduce the numbers and eventually replace the animals used in research with human-derived and human-relevant 3-D disease models. Oncoseek Bio-Acasta Health, which is an innovative biotechnology start-up company based in Hyderabad and Vishakhapatnam, India, organises an annual International Conference on 3Rs Research and Progress. In 2021, this conference was on ‘Advances in Research Animal Models and Cutting-Edge Research in Alternatives’. This annual conference is a platform that brings together eminent scientists and researchers from various parts of the world, to share recent advances from their research in the field of alternatives to animals including new approach methodologies, and to promote practices to help refine animal experiments where alternatives are not available. This report presents the proceedings of the conference, which was held in hybrid mode (i.e. virtual and in-person) in November 2021.

Editorial

“…4 Linked to the VSC on Humane Teaching Approaches, the Resources Round-up section of this issue highlights the work of InterNICHE, the International Network for Humane Education. Following on from the publication of the outcomes of the Third International Conference on 3Rs Research and Progress (held in Vishakhapatnam, in 2022), 5 this section also signposts India-centric (as well as other) resources. This issue's Spotlight on Three Rs Progress highlights the recently published RIVER guidance (Reporting In Vitro Experiments Responsibly), the work of the NC3Rs prize winner, and some of the latest animal-free research models demonstrating global efforts in the Three Rs field.…”

Advances in Animal Models and Cutting-Edge Research in Alternatives: Proceedings of the Third International Conference on 3Rs Research and Progress, Vishakhapatnam, 2022

“…The concept of the Three Rs ( replacement , reduction and refinement ) in animal experimentation was first introduced in 1959 1 and, since then, many technologies have been developed and introduced in order to replace animal models. In the last few decades, considerable advances have been made in human-derived and human-relevant models that mimic human physiology and drug disposition mechanisms 2,3 — for example, 3-D disease models that can improve the translation of preclinical data from in vitro studies to in vivo clinical trials. As summarised by Vangala et al, 3 since the 1980s, there have been significant improvements in the application of the Three Rs principles, in the clinical relevance of the alternative models used and in ethical compliance.…”

Editorial

“…Representatives from across the world presented their latest research within six themes: Adoption of the 3Rs in research; Challenges associated with the use of alternative models; Alternative models for drug treatment; ‘Disease in a dish’ models; Carcinogenesis through spheroids; and an interactive session on in silico strategies for preclinical research in oncology. Naik et al 2 provide an overview of the presentations given during the conference.…”