The 3RsC’s primary program is to coordinate collaborative initiatives for 3Rs (refinement, reduction, replacement) impacts. Each specific 3Rs initiative is chosen after determining strong evidence, big impact, and real-world practicality of the topic at hand. 3RsC then engages with experts in the evidence, impact, and practicality of applying the technique. These experts come from across science including academia, industry, government, and more. We determine current prevalence and barriers to implementation of the specific practice. Finally, we work to mitigate those barriers through providing targeted education, proof of concept, and useful resources.
The 3RsC has seven initiatives focused on 3Rs impact:
To learn more about our initiative application, selection, and sunsetting process: click here.
To propose a new initiative: click here to fill out the form.
Our Rodent Health Monitoring Initiative helps research professionals replace soiled bedding sentinels with environmental health monitoring strategies. We have a comprehensive resource hub to help you decide whether and how to make the switch. We have helped a number of major governmental & academic research institutions to switch to full environmental monitoring, replacing thousands of sentinel animals annually. If you are an expert in environmental health monitoring or provide equipment/services to facilitate these methods, contact us! Click below to learn more about environmental health monitoring.
Our Refinement Initiative works to increase implementation of evidence-based refinement techniques to improve animal welfare and scientific rigor. We have created high-level resource pages on a number of common laboratory species including mice, non-human primates and more! These pages outline recommendations for housing, husbandry, and common procedures. They link out to more extensive resources and videos. A key feature of our refinement initiative is a refined handling hub. Stay tuned for more resources and click below to learn more about working on our refinement team.
Our Microphysiological Systems initiative collaborates with commercial technology providers to increase industry adoption and regulatory acceptance of microphysiological systems (MPS). MPS are an emerging technology that holds the potential to increase translation, efficiency, efficacy, and safety. They can serve as a replacement for some animals in scientific research. Our initiative showcases companies with commercially available MPS that are already translated into industry use as well as several end-users. Commercially available technologies can be explored on our MPS Tech Hub. Click below to learn more about these promising technologies.
Our Translational Digital Biomarkers initiative engages end-users and technology providers to increase industry adoption of translational digital biomarkers. Translational Digital Biomarkers are objective, quantifiable physiological and behavioral data that are collected and measured by means of digital technologies in the home cage. These technologies have the potential to refine & reduce animals in research. Our initiative has a TDB Tech Hub to showcase commercially available translational digital biomarkers systems with the goal to improve understanding of value and facilitate the adoption of these technologies.
Our Compassion Fatigue Initiative is focused on creating materials to promote compassion fatigue resiliency in our field. This includes a resource hub with a number of pages on compassion fatigue publications, self-care and assessment tools and an institutional starter pack for creating a compassion fatigue resiliency program. These institutional resources target specific goals such as training managers, creating a culture of care, peer-to-peer support and more. Click below to learn more and explore our compassion fatigue resiliency hub. Does your institution/organization have a resiliency program or culture of care initiative? Contact us here!
Our 3Rs Certification Initiative seeks to improve understanding, recognition, & implementation of the 3Rs. We recognize a gap in specific, standardized, and accessible training that creates difficulty in implementation. The course is a virtual, interactive, and self-paced consisting of 5 one-hour modules on Introduction/History of the 3Rs: Refinement, Reduction, Replacement. The course is now officially live as of January 2025 via the CITI Program course platform. Visit the website below to register.
Our Artificial Intelligence Initiative is a collaboration between technology developers, end-users, regulators, academics, and other stakeholders in the AI space. It provides a venue for productive interaction between key stakeholders in the industry to advance implementation and qualification of artificial intelligence methods. The 3Rs Collaborative is a US-based non-profit focused on advancing better science – for both humans and animals – through facilitating collaborative 3Rs initiatives.
