To accelerate the transition towards animal-free innovation in research, testing, teaching, and training, education is key. This applies to stakeholders of all generations in the broad field of life sciences, including biomedical research, veterinary science, pharmacology, and toxicology. An extensive array of non-animal methods is evolving, from advancements in cell culturing, such as organ-on-a-chip and organoid technologies, to in silico applications, including sophisticated computer simulations and data mining. These novel methods will only be developed further and used more broadly if students and professionals learn – on a large scale – how to develop, apply, and evaluate them. In order to promote a paradigm shift from reliance on using animals to animal-free research, testing, teaching, and training, this article advocates for the thorough integration of non-animal methods into education curricula and courses, from junior and high school education to continuous development for professionals in academia and beyond. In that context, this article describes an initiative to develop a global education hub for animal-free innovation dedicated to sharing, co-creating, and disseminating animal-free tools for teaching and training, as well as education methods and materials about non-animal methods for life sciences research and regulatory testing. This initiative aims not only to foster scientific excellence, collaboration, and global impact in the use of non-animal methods but also to address the ethical concerns and limitations of the use of animals for research, testing, teaching, and training.
JANSSENS Monique;
SALVATORI Daniela;
HOGERVORST Janneke;
NONIS Cristheena;
BAILEY Jarrod;
BAJRAMOVIC Jeffrey;
BURGERS Anne;
CALONI Francesca;
VAN DEEL Elza D;
VAN DEN EIJNDEN-VAN RAAIJ Janny;
ESLAMI AMIRABADI Hossein;
FILIPOVA Dilyana;
GASTALDELLO Annalisa;
GIBBS Susan;
GOVERSEN Birgit;
GREEN Nicole;
VAN HENGEL Jolanda;
KIENHUIS Anne S;
VAN DE KOLK Sjoukje;
PAGGI Carlo Alberto;
PENNING Louis C;
PISTOLLATO Francesca;
RIEGGER Silke;
RITSKES-HOITINGA Merel;
PILAR VINARDELL Maria;
2025-04-16
SPEKTRUM AKADEMISCHER VERLAG-SPRINGER-VERLAG GMBH
JRC139673
1868-8551 (online),
https://doi.org/10.14573/altex.2411251,
https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC139673,
10.14573/altex.2411251 (online),
