Visit our booth at the NRP79 Fair in Fribourg!

Start: 15.04.2026 10:30‍

End: 15.04.2026 16:00‍

Venue: Forum Fribourg, Route du Lac 12, 1763 Granges-Paccot

Experience firsthand the progress in the 3Rs—spanning research, law, regulation, and practical solutions—at Forum Fribourg on April 15, 2026. At the 3R fair, the research teams of NRP 79 will present their projects and results in the form of hands-on demonstrations, brief insights, presentations, and practical solutions.

The fair offers the opportunity to talk directly with researchers, exchange ideas, and discuss the next steps for implementing the 3Rs in Switzerland.

Be there—and play an active role in shaping the future of the 3Rs.

The fair is open to everyone and free of charge.

You can register here.  

Questions and contact: nrp79@snf.ch

Would you be interested in a guided tour? Get in touch with us: nrp79@snf.ch

• Flyer (PDF)

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The Belgian Council for Laboratory Animal Science is pleased to invite you to its 47^th Annual Symposium.

Is is a 2 day-event with an afternoon of workshops and a full day of scientific presentations and activities for animal care takers, technicians, researchers, animal facility managers, lab animal veterinarians and other key personnel in laboratory animal science.

The purpose of the symposium aligns with the missions of BCLAS to promote the replacement, reduction and refinement of laboratory animal use by driving reflection, sharing information, providing education and support to the scientific community, authorities and public, in order to lead to an ethical, responsible and qualitative research enabling further improvement in human & animal health.

Additionaly to this main symposium programme there will be an animal technician forum in the afternoon on April 23.

Register now: https://www.bclas2026.org/

June 9, 2026: A New Refinement Strategy to Oral Gavage: The Micropipette-Guided Drug Administration (MDA) Method

Join this session focused on Refinement (3Rs: Replace, Reduce, Refine). Dr. Paulin Jirkof (3Rs Coordinator, University of Zurich, Switzerland) will give an overview of different refinement strategies and will talk more in detail about the Micropipette-Guided Drug Administration (MDA) method, a novel approach to conventional oral gavage.

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Preclinical Rethinking Webinar

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Preclinical research aims to develop potential therapies and to translate scientific discoveries into clinical applications for patients. This process requires rigorous hypothesis testing and experimentation in model systems to confirm treatment efficacy and safety before advancing to clinical trials. However, translational failures where clinical trials fail to replicate promising preclinical results are common, creating a significant gap with medical, economic, social, and ethical consequences.

Concerns about the low success rate of translating preclinical research into effective clinical interventions has grown within the biomedical community.

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Registration open: Preclinical Rethinking Webinar - Kurse - BIH at Charité

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Register NOW for the 3R Symposium: Smart Science, Kind Practices – Advancing Animal Welfare Together

Organised by the OULAC Animal Welfare Body and
Health and Biosciences Doctoral Programme, University of Oulu Graduate School

Register by 6.2.2026 https://link.webropol.com/s/3RregisterOulu2026

Our team member Dr. Paulin Jirkof will talk about "Refinement of oral administration protocols for rodents - benefits for animals and science.

Save the Date

for the Swiss 3RCC 3rs Day 2025 taking place in Zurich hosted by the University of Zurich & the ETH Zurich.

FELASA and HSBLAS are glad to invite you to the 16th FELASA Congress, from 2 to 5 June 2025 in Athens, Greece.

After the successful 2022 edition we are excited to host the FELASA 2025 in Athens, Greece, the country where biomedical research was born.

FELASA, the Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations, represents common interests in the furtherance of all aspects of laboratory animal science (LAS) in Europe and beyond. FELASA puts the 3Rs of Laboratory Animal Science ‘Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement’ center stage. FELASA advocates responsible scientific conduct with animals in the life sciences with a particular emphasis on ensuring animal welfare.

Learn more here

54. Seminar über Versuchstiere und Tierversuche

Datum: 13. - 14. Mai 2025

Ort: Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung, Berlin oder Live-Online via Zoom

Format: Hybridveranstaltung

More info here

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Presenting Rodent MDA

In collaboration with the French 3R Center (FC3R), our team-member Corina Berset, Animal Welfare Officer at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, will be talking about MDA in the webinar on "Raffiner l’administration de substances chez les rongeurs". Further details about the event can be found here.

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Register now!

Second 3Rs Day by i3s in Porto, Portugal (and online) on "Models in Biomedical Research". Find more info here: https://www.i3s.up.pt/event.php?v=327

Don't miss the presentation on rodent MDA by Dr. Paulin Jirkof

By: Dr. Paulin Jirkof (University of Zurich).

Date: September 10, 2024, Helsinki 2 PM EEST

ABSTRACT:

In drug development, a focus on oral formulations aligns with human treatment practices. Preclinical assessments demand crucial oral testing of compounds, often carried out through oral gavage in mice and rats. However, this widely used method lacks accuracy in replicating voluntary substance intake of humans, posing risks of injury and stress to laboratory rodents. This presentation scrutinizes the pros and cons of oral gavage and explores alternative approaches, including uncontrolled oral intake (e.g., via drinking water), and refined, controlled voluntary ingestion protocols. The Micropipette-Guided Drug Administration (MDA) method, employing palatable solutions like sweetened condensed milk diluted with water, will be introduced. The talk will evaluate evidence on the suitability of these alternative methods for administering various experimental substances, such as analgesics, tamoxifen or others, while prioritizing animal welfare.

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Register here

Learn more

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Karolinska Institutet presents: Webinar with Dr. Paulin Jirkof

Learn more about the pros and cons of oral gavage and explores alternative approaches, including injections, uncontrolled oral intake (e.g., via drinking water), and refined, controlled voluntary ingestion protocols. The Micropipette-Guided Drug Administration (MDA) method, employing palatable solutions like sweetened condensed milk diluted with water, will be introduced. The talk will evaluate evidence on the suitability of these alternative methods for administering various experimental substances, such as analgesics, tamoxifen or others, while prioritizing animal welfare.

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Speaker

Dr. Paulin Jirkof works as the 3R at the University of Zurich's Office for Animal Welfare and 3R. She also chairs the Executive Board of the Swiss 3R Competence Center, is a board member of the Swiss Society for Laboratory Animal Science, and serves as Editor-in-Chief of the journal Laboratory Animal. Her research primarily focuses on refining laboratory rodent practices, with a particular emphasis on assessing and improving animal welfare.

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Learn more