Description
Are laboratory animals needed in the development of new medicines?What can we expect from new animal-free technology?
These were the two crucial questions asked to the speakers at the online IC-3Rs Symposium that took place on 7-8 October 2021. IC-3Rs stands for the Innovation Centre which was created at the VUB in the field of 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) and will continue to expand thanks to the support of philanthropist Mireille Aerens. IC-3Rs is committed to using fewer animals where scientifically possible and to increase the focus on integrating non-animal alternative methods in basic and applied research, the areas where most animals are used worldwide.
Can we develop new medicines without animals today? All the experts clearly agreed: this is not yet possible today, but we can carry out parts of the research without the use of animals by introducing in vitro methods especially sophisticated cultures of human cells which provide useful mechanistic information. A lot is expected of 'organ-on-chip' technology, where human cells from different organs are brought into contact with each other via microfluidic channels. Human target cells can be obtained by stem cell technology, a method that has also been applied at the VUB for several years. Today, the 'best science' is a well-considered combination of in vivo and in vitro methodology, and the follow up of new developments is crucial so that non-animal techniques can be incorporated as soon as they are well established and available.
| Period | 7 Oct 2021 → 8 Oct 2021 |
|---|---|
| Event type | Conference |
| Degree of Recognition | International |