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.
Revolutionary 3D Bioprinter Creates Human Tissue Structures in Seconds
SciTechDaily, 3/1/2025
“Biomedical engineers at the University of Melbourne have developed a 3D bioprinting system capable of creating structures that closely replicate various human tissues, ranging from soft brain tissue to more rigid materials like cartilage and bone.”
“This innovative technology provides cancer researchers with a powerful tool for replicating specific organs and tissues, enhancing their ability to predict drug responses and develop new treatments. By offering a more accurate and ethical approach to drug discovery, it also has the potential to reduce reliance on animal testing.” 📰 Full Story →
New three-organ system offers an animal-free alternative for pharmacokinetics research
Dynamic42 GmbH, News Medical Life Sciences, 3/2/2025
“Innovative organ-on-chip specialist Dynamic42 and ESQlabs . . . ha[s] successfully developed a three-organ system . . . [with] the potential to significantly reduce animal testing using Organ-on-chip (OoC) technology and interactive computational software.”
“The project investigated whether certain drugs could cross the blood-placental barrier in pregnant women – a group of people who are rarely included in clinical trials due to ethical and practical restrictions . . . Conventional preclinical models, including animal studies, do not provide sufficient information on the drug exposure of the mother and the unborn child.” 📰 Full Story →
Experts united to advance non-animal testing methods at major Spanish conference
Humane World for Animals, 3/4/2025
“The conference . . . brought together over 250 leading experts from industry, academia and government to discuss the advancement of non-animal methods in chemical safety testing, biomedical research, and regulatory science.”
“The event came at a crucial time as the European Commission develops its roadmap to phase out animal testing following the successful European Citizens’ Initiative that gathered 1.4 million signatures . . . The roadmap, with expected completion by early 2026, carries broad regulatory significance, impacting 15 legislative areas including industrial chemicals, pesticides, biocides, pharmaceuticals, and food and feed additives. The Commission has already committed to analysing necessary steps to replace animal testing and to accelerate the development, validation and implementation of [non-animal methods].” 📰 Full Story →
How do researchers determine how toxic a chemical is? A toxicologist explains alternatives to animal testing
Brad Reisfeld, The Conversation, 3/12/2025
“Historically, researchers have tested the safety and toxicity of chemicals by using biological assays, or bioassays. These tests involve exposing nonhuman animals – often rodents such as rats or mice – to a substance in controlled conditions to study its biological effects, including its potential harms . . . There are, however, significant limitations in using animals to conduct these studies. First, it can be difficult to extrapolate results obtained from lab animals to humans . . . It can also be costly to conduct research in animals. For example, a full battery of toxicology tests for a pesticide can cost between US$8 million and $16 million. Many of these studies take a long time to conduct, with some requiring up to two years. There are ethical concerns, too, about using animals to test the toxicity of chemicals.”
“Researchers are developing a number of ways to replace animal testing in assessing chemical safety. Often called new approach methodologies, these methods aim to be both relevant to humans and scientifically clear. They also seek to be cost-effective, fast and broadly applicable . . . With clear regulation and global collaboration, alternatives to animal testing can help advance public health, environmental safety and ethical testing practices.” 📰 Full Story →
ImmuONE raises £600K to advance human lung model as alternative to animal drug testing
Tony Quested, Business Weekly, 3/13/2025
“ImmuONE’s laboratory model is used to test new drugs, chemicals or consumer products to prove they are safe to use . . . As well as respiratory safety checks, it now offers more complex immunology tests which show the long-term effects of substances on the lung including the potential to cause inflammation.”
“The company’s 3D laboratory model not only enables companies to replace or reduce the need for animal testing but also provides results that are human relevant, more reliable and reproducible.” 📰 Full Story →
A little UAlbany lab is growing a complete, miniature heart
Kathleen Moore, Times Union, 3/25/2025
“In a small University of Albany lab, students are growing fully-formed human hearts” with “the power to revolutionize the way new medications are tested.”
“Many labs are growing mini-hearts now, but Paluh said this is the first lab that has managed to finish the job, taking the heart all the way through the stages of development.” 📰 Full Story →
Advancements in Non-Animal Testing Highlighted at Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting
Cruelty Free International, 3/25/2025
“While animal-based testing methods still dominated much of the conference, there was a clear shift toward non-animal alternatives . . . non-animal testing methods – like organ-on-chip models, computational toxicology, and advanced in vitro systems – are paving the way for more efficient, cost-effective and reliable results. These innovations were on full display….”
“ . . . key presentations and workshops illustrated how modern technologies, including artificial intelligence, are transforming toxicology research. These methods are not only providing more reliable data but are also aligned with the global movement to reduce animal use in scientific testing.” 📰 Full Story →
Ethically Sourced Human “Bodyoids” Could Revolutionize Medicine
Sri Lanka Guardian, 3/26/2025
“[Lab-grown human structures – or ‘ethically sourced “spare” human bodies, known as “bodyoids”’] could fundamentally transform medical research, organ transplantation, and drug development. By providing a nearly limitless supply of human biological material, bodyoids offer a promising alternative to the limitations of current medical models, which rely heavily on animal testing, human clinical trials, and a severely constrained organ donation system.”
“ . . . bodyoids could serve as precise models for testing new drugs, allowing scientists to study how treatments interact with human tissues in ways that animal testing cannot replicate. This approach would not only improve drug safety and efficacy but also minimize the ethical concerns tied to animal experimentation.” 📰 Full Story →
Take Action: Help Animals and Support Scientific Progress with the FDA Modernization Act 3.0
Rise for Animals
Please ask your U.S. legislators to support The FDA Modernization Act 3.0. This bill aims to require the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) to implement the FDA Modernization Act 2.0 — which Congress passed in 2022 but which the FDA has yet to honor — by revising FDA regulations to remove the requirement for animal research. ⚠️ Take Action Now →