While the animal research industry continues to breed, buy, cage, torture, and kill sentient beings, progressive scientists are busy proving that human-relevant science is not only possible but, in fact, better for us all. Highlights in science from the last month are below.
New educational film showcases innovative non-animal research
University of Oxford, 1/30/2025
“Produced by the charity Animal Aid, the video showcases the work of scientists undertaking innovative non-animal research in the fields of toxicology and biomedicine.”
“The film will be made available to secondary school science teachers to inform students about the progress being made in the field of humane research, with the aim of encouraging students to consider future scientific study.” 📰 Full Story →
*Film can be viewed here.
Why 3D Tumoroid Models Are the Future of Cancer Research
AZoLifeSciences, MSN, 2/1/2025
“Cancer research has long relied on traditional models such as two-dimensional (2D) cell cultures and animal models. However, these models have significant limitations. 2D cultures fail to replicate the complexity of tumors, while animal models are expensive, time-consuming, and often unable to reflect human tumor characteristics accurately. A breakthrough in this field is the development of three-dimensional (3D) tumoroid models . . . They offer a promising platform for studying disease progression, drug screening, and personalized medicine.”
“3D tumoroid models have revolutionized cancer research by accurately replicating tumor biology, drug resistance mechanisms, and treatment responses. 📰 Full Story →
Feature Article: Organ-on-a-Chip – 3D Printed Tissue Allows Researchers to Study Effects of Toxic Vapors
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2/6/2025
“The Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) and its Chemical Safety Analysis Center (CSAC) have partnered with the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM) to 3D print human lung cells and tissue onto microchips for state-of-the-art analysis of the hazards posed by toxic chemicals.”
“‘With WFIRM’s innovative Organ-on-a-Chip technologies, we can accurately replicate human responses to toxic chemical exposure,’ . . . ‘This groundbreaking research is a vital step toward enhancing safety measures and developing life-saving treatments, ultimately advancing our ability to understand and mitigate the impact of hazardous chemical agents on human health.’”
“ . . . ‘The Organ-on-a-Chip model offers a controlled and reproducible environment, enabling high throughput testing and a reduction in the need for animal experimentation. The accuracy of the prediction and translation to human physiology is very high as compared to animal models, where their physiological behavior may not translate well to human physiological behavior under the same environmental exposures for a variety of reasons.’” 📰 Full Story →
How 3D Technologies are Revolutionizing the Medical Industry
Ion Hatzithomas, HIT Consultant, 2/7/2025
“Once confined to the realm of science fiction, recent innovations in 3D printing, bioprinting, mobile 3D imaging, VR/AR for surgeries, and 3D medical animations are now solving critical challenges in diagnostics, treatment, and patient care.”
“These technologies are proving themselves to be increasingly crucial. From enhancing surgical precision to creating patient-specific solutions, 3D technologies are revolutionizing the way doctors work, the speed at which patients recover, and how healthcare systems operate.” 📰 Full Story →
Beyond animal testing: How GARDskin DR enhances skin sensitization assessment
Cassandra Stern, CosmeticsDesign, 2/11/2025
“As the cosmetics and personal care industry moves away from animal testing, researchers are turning to innovative in vitro methods to assess ingredient safety. One promising approach is the GARDskin Dose Response (DR) assay, which quantitatively evaluates the skin sensitization potential of fragrance ingredients.”
“The biggest advantage of this animal alternative assay is that it is quantitative rather than qualitative or semi-quantitative. A quantitative assay provides specific numerical data, allowing for precise measurement of the concentration or potency of a substance, which helps in assessing its risk more accurately. Second, the assay uses human-derived skin cells, making it more relevant to human biology compared to animal models.” 📰 Full Story →
EMA’s revised reflection paper offers ‘snapshot’ of animal testing alternatives
Joanne S. Eglovitch, Regulatory Focus, 2/13/2025
“The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has released a draft reflection paper that outlines non-animal replacement tests manufacturers can use to eliminate the use of animals in pharmaceutical testing.”
“For example, the CHMP/CVMP Quality Working Party and European Pharmacopoeia have established alternatives to using horseshoe crab blood for testing endotoxins in parenteral products, with the Recombinant factor C (rFC) method being a key alternative. The working party has also endorsed the use of the monocyte activation test (MAT) as a replacement for the rabbit pyrogen test to test for pyrogens in new parenteral drugs. Also, animal tests using rats or mice have been eliminated for certain physiological distribution studies for radiopharmaceutical preparations.” 📰 Full Story →
“Multi Organ Model” — Animal-free alternative for pharmacokinetics research
Bionity.com, 2/20/2025
“Organ-on-chip specialist Dynamic42 and ESQlabs, experts in digital life sciences solutions, have successfully developed a three-organ system, in close collaboration with Consumer Health Division of Bayer, and the Placenta Lab at Jena University Hospital. The platform has the potential to significantly reduce animal testing using Organ-on-chip (OoC) technology and interactive computational software.”
“The developed platform represents a promising alternative to animal testing and makes an important contribution to the understanding of drug behavior during pregnancy. It can also support the early assessment of drug safety in vulnerable populations. These results underline the potential of the system to simulate complex pharmacological processes in vitro and thus enable more accurate predictions of drug safety and efficacy.” 📰 Full Story →
Queen Mary University of London opens one of Europe’s largest organ-on-a-chip facilities
Queen Mary University of London, 2/24/2025
“Queen Mary University of London has officially opened one of Europe’s largest and most advanced organ-on-a-chip facilities, marking a significant milestone in the efforts to replace animal testing in scientific research.”
“Organ-on-a-chip systems consist of living cells within miniature bioengineered plastic ‘chips’ mimicking key features of human organs within a laboratory setting. These devices enable researchers to better study diseases and accurately test drugs, reducing reliance on animal testing and accelerating delivery of new therapeutics. The technology is a cornerstone of Queen Mary’s strategy to reduce and replace the use of animals in scientific research.” 📰 Full Story →