On December 16, 2021, Prof. Dr. Peter Loskill (3R-Center Tübingen, University of Tübingen, NMI Reutlingen) and Prof. Dr. Marcel Leist (CAAT-Europe, University of Konstanz) opened the new webinar series #Talking3RScience of the 3R-Network Baden-Württemberg.
Entitled “Talking 3R Science: Why here? Why now?“, Loskill and Leist introduced the 3R-Network BW, founded in 2020 by the Ministry of Science BW, as well as the basics of the 3R-principle (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement of animal experiments), thus paving the way for the new interactive webinar series. In the course of their 20-minute keynote presentation, the two professors explained the responsibility that animal experimentation researchers derive from the 3R-principle, which is legally anchored in the Animal Welfare Act, as well as the resulting mandate for scientists to develop adequate alternatives to animal experimentation and to actively and sustainably promote the paradigm shift towards animal-free research. The two professors used a variety of success stories to show that this is already happening successfully.
It became clear that on the way to an animal-free world, close and trusting cooperation between the individual actors and open and constructive dialog are particularly important. True to the goal, the keynote speech was followed by a lively discussion with the webinar audience, in which, among other things, the participants discussed what they saw as the biggest limiting factor for a faster implementation of the 3Rs.
From 2022 on, the successful launch of the webinar series will be followed by another interactive webinar on the 3Rs on the last Thursday of every month from 5-6 pm (CET). The first in the new year will be Prof. Dr. Thomas Hartung (CAAT Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, CAAT Europe), who together with the participants will shed light on the journey of endotoxin assays, which has already spanned more than 25 years.
We are looking forward to a new year full of exciting webinar dates and would love to welcome you all back in January. Register now for free!
