Target images on animal-free research are the objectives of each research domain aiming to reduce the use of laboratory animals in research. We introduced the concept for these target images in 2016 as part of our policy advice: Transition to non-animal research. With this concept, each research domain can create its own target images. We provide advice during the process, while monitoring the developments in animal-free research.
Target images have been developed for various research domains . Below you can find all target images and read how they were developed.
In the video below Henk Smid (chair NCad) and Wim de Leeuw (member NCad) explain the importance of target images and how they can be used.
Target images
Nowadays, the focus within immunology shifts towards new research areas, such as research into the effect of gender, individualism and age. Studying these subjects require different methods and are often difficult to research using laboratory animals. This provides an opportunity for the development and application of innovative New Approach Methodologies (NAMs).
During the symposium ‘Ambition versus Realism’ of ZonMw and the NCad on 12 December 2023, the target image on immunological research was launched. This target image provides recommendations with regard to legislation, education, access to tissue and research.
The target image on immunology is intended to inspire researchers and other stakeholders to perform research without animals but with NAMs. The working group believes that, with the contribution of these stakeholders, the target image can be expanded to become a shared vision.
Download the full target image report here.
Key recommendations
Regulations and decision making
- Simplify regulatory procedures and support preparations to conduct direct-in-man and phase 0 studies to make them competitive with animal-based approaches. A better standardization of clinical protocols and reviewing processes would facilitate the approval.
- Stimulate initiatives to facilitate the availability and accessibility of new approach methods (NAMs).
- Create additional funding for scientists that are developing or using of NAMs.
- Provide researchers with strong clear arguments concerning the physiological relevance of human studies performed without animals but with NAMs.
- Centralized efforts and funding opportunities are required for the replacement of animal derived products as cell culture reagents.
Education
- It is of great importance to stimulate the training and education about NAMs, specially of early career scientists.
- Seek cooperation with Dutch Society for Immunology (NVVI) for implementation of the Ambition Statement.
Sharing and access
- Access to human primary immune cells and tissues needs to be facilitated for every researcher via open access biobank facilities and centralized facilities (e.g bloodbanks, tissue centers).
- Facilitate access and re-use of patient data by other researchers so that multiple researchers can use the data for their own research.
Research
- Animal-derived products as cell culture reagents should be limited as much as possible.
- Stimulate side-by-side comparisons between animals and NAMs by bringing together scientists and by specific funding of parallel studies.
- Specialized Core Facilities or Centers are required that train and assist (young) researchers in these innovative models.
- Encourage studies towards the understanding of the human (pathological) mechanisms instead of using animals as 'black box' models for diseases for which the causes are not exactly known.
- Stimulate further interdisciplinary collaborations to further develop innovative NAMs.
In 2023, a target image for the field of cardiovascular research was developed in collaboration with the NCad. Central for this target image is the application of the best possible experimental model. The target image focusses on how well models predict cardiovascular diseases and how they can address the research questions in the best possible way.
This target image was established under the auspices of the Dutch Cardio Vascular Alliance (DCVA). The DCVA is a collaboration between 22 partners and includes medical and technical researchers, users, patients and organisations that fund research. The target image identifies seven recommendations. The appendix sets out specific proposals that can replace the animal models with human measurement models. In addition, the limitations of the different types of models are listed. Besides the target image a consensus document was published in 2022 on animal models and animal-free innovations for cardiovascular research
Download the full target image report here.
Key recommendations
- Establish good lines of communication towards researchers and the general public. Create clear expectations and involve all stakeholders.
- Reconsider terminology to include all stakeholders in the transition process to animal free innovation. This requires clear and careful (objective) communication, with a clearly defined common goal. For instance, using ‘human measurement models’ instead of ‘animal-free models’.
- Initiate a dialogue based on a shared and broadly supported ambition, like improving science using less laboratory animals.
- Make optimal use of the available expertise in the field of disease model development.
- Provide additional resources for the validation and further development of animal-free innovations to meet the needs of the end users and regulators.
- Integrate the development of human measurement models in (international) laws, regulations and policies.
- Facilitate the education of young researchers in (novel) animal and human measurement models to generate more knowledge and awareness about these topics in the scientific community.
Universities in the Netherlands (UNL) and the Dutch Federation of University Medical Centres (NFU) jointly presented a target image on animal-free innovation in academic education on 7 October 2022. Perceptions of the use of laboratory animals in society are changing. With this target image, the universities and university medical centres are contributing to this discussion.
The target image focusses on animal-free innovation in the field, while at the same time reducing the number of laboratory animals. Since 2019, UNL and NFU have been partners in the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality programme on the Transition to Animal-free Innovation (TPI). This video explains how the target image was established.
Download the full target image report here.
Key recommendations
Innovations in the field of animal-free education
- Organize funding for innovation in animal-free education methods and technologies and share these between academic partners.
Effectiveness of animal-free methods
- Position animal-free models as the reference model in teaching and abandon the dogma that laboratory animals are indispensable in research.
- Adopt learning objectives and context as the starting point for the selection and design of the most optimal animal-free method.
Bioveterinary Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes
- Develop a step-by-step approach with animal-free methods that students can utilize before they start working with live animals.
- Create animal-free skills labs, based on models and simulators.
- Implement more clinical classes with real veterinary patients in clinics or hospitals and provide these classes at an earlier stage of the educational programme.
Laboratory Animal Science course
- Restructure the LAS course into a two-step approach.
- A theoretical part relevant to all biomedical students, and;
- A practical part with specific species and procedures, only for those students who are actually going to perform animal experiments.
Practical training for researchers prior to animal experiments
- Where possible, transfer practical animal work from the individual researcher (with an individual learning requirement) to dedicated skilled personnel.
- Develop courses and materials based on animal-free innovations. Implement these in bachelor and master programmes and the continuing education programmes offered to students, researchers and professionals from within and outside universities and in co-creation with industry, contract research laboratories and social partners.
- Create funding opportunities for the sector (e.g. innovation in animal-free teaching methods) and public consortia aimed at enabling education and the training for professionals.
Skills training for medical professionals
- Invest in further development and implementation of animal-free models for skills training of medical professionals.
In 2019, the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) developed a target image on animal-free innovation for fundamental neuroscientific research. For this purpose, a committee of the KNAW first wrote an exploratory report “Excellent neuroscientific research with fewer animals”. Secondly, the KNAW compiled an inventory report “The importance of animal testing and opportunities for reducing animals used in fundamental neuroscientific research”.
Download the exploratory report and the inventory report. Only the summaries are available in English.
Key recommendations
Cooperation and collaboration
- Establish infrastructure to develop, share and access expertise in neural stem cell research.
- Establish institutional cooperation between neuroimaging centres to facilitate large-scale population research.
- Establish an international neuroscience consortium that has animal-free research as as one of it's focus points.
- Establish (inter)national infrastructure that supports fundamental research in patients.
- Expand the capacity of Brain Banks by collaborations with (neuro)pathology departments in university hospitals.
Methodology
- Cell-biological questions in which the interactions with the environment of the body are not relevant should be adressed with animal free methods as much as possible.
- Researchers can employ wearable electronics that are qualified for scientific research and allow continuous measuring of physical parameters in humans.
- Increase cooperation between the Neurosciences and Artificial Intelligence to make optimal use of the increasing amount of available data from (animal-free) research strategies.
- Develop methods to integrate data from imaging technologies with high spatial resolution and imaging methods with a high temporal resolution.
Data utilization
- Make clinically obtained patient data and bodily materials more readily available as a resource for fundamental research by asking patients for consent whenever possible.
- Develop methods for neuroscientific data portals to intensify and improve the standardisation of data storage and the addition of meta-data. This development also stimulates the reuse, shareability and combination of data.
- Data from experiments in animals should be made available for all university groups in the neurosciences via a dedicated data platform.
Education
- University teaching programs should explicitly include animal-free research strategies, team science and open data participation in their curricula.
Fewer laboratory animals, high standards in research
Each target image contains transition goals for the development of animal-free research and the reduction of laboratory animal use. These goals are ambitious yet realistic and provide objectives for the next 10 years. It is important that the results obtained with new models are of the same, or better, quality as those generated animal models.
Developing target images
Each research domain develops it’s own target image(s) as researchers themselves have the best knowledge about what is feasible and what is not. Participation of people outside the research domain is also encouraged to broaden the perspectives on the subject. The infographic below shows the different steps in the development of a target image. A downloadable version of the infographic can be found on the bottom of this page.
The infographic ‘Target images' describes the 7 steps of the process of making a target image.
An animal-free research method that does not decrease the quality of research?
How?
Join forces within your research domain and develop a target image.
Apart from uniting parties, a target image:
... connects parties;
... sets the course for an animal- free research strategy;
... guarantees the quality of research;
... generates enthusiasm, is ambitious;
... requires decisiveness and it requires confidence in the power of innovation
We have to do it together!
Step-by-step plan
Step 1. Define the challenges
Which urgent biomedical issues could benefit from an out-of-the-box approach? Which animal-free innovations can be used or should you develop? What challenges do you face?
Step 2. Make a list of animal-free innovations and their developers
Find interesting animal-free innovations that may replace animal studies now or at a later stage. Look for interesting animal-free innovations that are currently being developed. Use a multisectoral approach to investigate this on a national and international level. Use the network of Transition Program for Innovation without the use of animals. Website: https://www.animalfreeinnovationtpi.nl
Step 3. Make a timeline
Provide a realistic and measurable description of your ambitious goals. Describe the results to be achieved in terms of animal-free innovation, reduction of animal use and the 3 Rs: Replacement, Reduction and Refinement. Your targets should be measurable and formulated in a smart way. For example, set goals for five to ten years. The transition target should generate enthusiasm among researchers.
Step 4. Make an overview of the force field
Map out the key stakeholders and their influence on the research domain. What are the opportunities for this domain? What bottlenecks can you expect? Who are the frontrunners? Who can facilitate more opportunities?
Step 5. Analyse the viability of animal-free innovation
Which research questions can we expect to answer with animal-free innovations? Which questions cannot yet be answered with animal-free innovations? What is the current status of the 3R methods within this field? Are 3R methods applied?
Step 6. Develop an innovation strategy
How can you accelerate the development and implementation of new approaches in order to meet the transition target? What will be the roles of the various stakeholders in the research domain? What do you need to get these stakeholders involved? How do you keep these stakeholders committed? What else is required to speed up animal-free innovation? How do you incorporate the ambition to work animal-free in your education programmes? Which investments do you need?
Step 7. Prepare to communicate the target image clearly and prepare for project launch!
Follow this checklist:
- Set clear transition goals based on the challenges of the domain
- Gain insight into the chances that animal-free research may succeed for each research question
- Make an overview of the current situation of animal-free innovation inside and outside the domain
- Make an overview of possibilities of animal-free innovations in education programs
- Set a time frame with manageable deadlines
- Remember: desired situations indicate a preferred outcome. Innovation networks of the “Transition Program for Innovation” show you the way to a desired outcome: animal-free research
Advice and support
Drawing up a target situation is recommended by both the Netherlands National Committee for the protection of animals used for scientific purposes (NCad) and the Transition Programme for innovation without the use of animals (TPI) network organization. You are not on your own. NCad and TPI are happy to advise you on how to proceed.
Website: www.ncadierproevenbeleid.nl
E-mail: ncad@rvo.nl
Sender: The Netherlands National Committee for the protection of animals used for scientific purposes (NCad)