There are two collaborative networks for European 3R Centres: EU3RNet and IMPROVE. 3RKC is represented in both of these, which means that we have an opportunity to share our expertise with others in the field and learn from their experience.
We begin 2024 with the establishment of the 3RKC Steering Committee, which will lead the development of the 3RKC into a national and inter-institutional centre.
The committee brings together representatives of other 3R-relevant initiatives in Portugal. This includes the two main scientific societies for the 3Rs in Portugal SPCAL, SPCE-TC and also NIMSB – Nova Institute for Medical Systems Biology.
The question of non-animal methods for biomedical research was recently featured in Jornal de Notícias, one of the main newspapers in Portugal. Under the headline "Specialists indicate five alternatives for scientific tests in animals", the feature refers to 3RKC and gives voice to i3S researcher Daniel Ferreira, who explains his work on stomach-on-a-chip that was awarded with the NC3Rs prize in 2022.
The 3R Knowledge Center is inviting i3S researchers to a science communication workshop, specifically targeting young researchers whose work has relevance to the 3Rs of animal experimentation - Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement.
The 3R Knowledge Center will be launched on the 26th and 27th of April 2023, with a conference which is also the first edition of the 3R day to be held annually.
Ciência et al, the i3S school outreach program, also includes activities around the 3Rs and ethics of animal experimentation for high school students. The activity Animal Experimentation and Integrity was developed in the context of the H2020 project INTEGRITY as a toolkit to be used in science classes for 16-18-year-old students, by teachers, or by scientists/science communicators in school visits.
Every summer, a group of high school students from schools all around Portugal have the opportunity to learn about the behaviour and welfare of farm, companion, and laboratory animals – and practice some of their new knowledge in measuring behaviour and welfare.
