3-Rs Centre Utrecht Life Sciences
3Rs-Centre ULS: Reduction, Refinement and Replacement of animal experiments
The 3Rs-Centre Utrecht Life Sciences stimulates the development, acceptation and implementation of methods which can replace, reduce and refine animal experiments, the 3Rs. The centre facilitates the 3Rs in education and animal research in many ways, by providing information and advice about 3Rs models. An important resource provided by the centre is the 3Rs database program, enabling access to the following databases, free of charge.
Interspecies Database
The Interspecies Database provides insight into physiological, anatomical and biochemical parameters of different animal species and humans. With the database, researchers can choose the best animal model for a particular study. This could lead to a reduction in the number of experimental animals. All available data originate from peer-reviewed literature.
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Humane Endpoints database
The Humane Endpoints website provides information and training modules on how to recognise and apply humane endpoints in laboratory animals. Subsequently, unnecessary pain and distress in the animals can be prevented. Therefore, the website contributes to refinement of animal experiments. The information on the website is offered in the form of texts, photographs, videos and training modules.
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FCS-free Database
Fetal calf serum (FCS) is a common supplement of animal cell culture media. FCS is harvested from bovine fetuses taken from pregnant cows during slaughter. The use of culture media containing FCS raises considerable moral and scientific concerns. The FCS-free Database allows researchers to identify serum-free media for specific cell types and to exchange information on the applicability of each product. This website will contribute to replacement of animals used for research and to the reproducibility of in vitro methods.
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Contact
3Rs-Centre Utrecht Life Sciences
Petra Barendrecht
Department of Animals in Science and Society
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Yalelaan 2
3584 CM Utrecht
Phone: +31 30 253 2163 or +31 30 253 8009
Email: 3RsCentreULS@uu.nl
Website: bit.ly/3rs-ULS