Student Life Sciences? Contact 3Rs Centre for an internship

Are you a life sciences student (Bachelor or Master) willing to dedicate your talent, time and energy to reduce the dependence of scientists and humankind on animal-based test results? Feel invited to contact the 3Rs Centre to discuss options for an internship.

Laboratory animals are still being used for research, regulatory testing and education in the life sciences. Many of you will encounter experimental questions and settings where animal testing is considered as the gold standard to prove physiological relevance.

The last decade has seen an increasing awareness of the differences that exist between experimental animals and the human population. Science is facing several crises. There is the notorious translatability gap: more than 95% of the drugs that work in animal models fail in human trials. In addition, we are facing the reproducibility crisis, which is particularly relevant for animal studies. Together this has led to the realisation that we need to reorganise the way we conduct science.

Replacing animal models

Replacing animal models with human-based models is the most straightforward way to close the translatability gap. If we succeed in making human-based methods robust and transparent, this will also help solving the reproducibility crisis. Reducing our dependence on animal-based results represents a paradigm shift, and it might take more than one generation. We however believe that it is the way forward. You can be a part of that route.

Reduction and Refinement

As long as laboratory animals are still being used, we should try to reduce the numbers of laboratory animals and to refine their treatment. For these points of attention as well, creative and enthusiastic input from students is welcome.

Matchmaking

We aim to further the 3Rs in research by bringing the right students in contact with researchers looking for their competencies. We are specifically looking for Master students, Bachelor students who will start working on their thesis, and excellent Applied Sciences students. With your permission we will include your data in our database that will be used for matchmaking.

The 3Rs Centre

The Utrecht University 3Rs Centre aims to stimulate the development, acceptance and implementation of methods that can Replace, Reduce and Refine (the 3Rs) animal experiments. In that order. We want to reduce the dependence of scientists and humankind on animal-based results. This will not happen overnight, and will take an incredible amount of energy, money, time, resilience and patience. If this does not demotivate you, you might be the student we are looking for. Please feel invited for a rendez-vous at the 3Rs Centre Utrecht to discuss opportunities to make your contribution to an important societal movement. Send an email to Jeffrey Bajramovic, head of the 3Rs Centre: j.j.bajramovic@uu.nl