Replacing Animal Research

29/05/2026

We're so excited to announce the two brilliant changemakers taking home our Changemaker Award. Each winner’s received £500 to support their vital work in advancing animal-free research.

We launched these awards to celebrate people making a real, tangible impact in science. From building regional hubs for new technologies to tackling systemic bias in publishing, these winners are changing the landscape for good:

Professor Marize Campos Valadares: A Professor of Toxicology at Federal University of Goiás in Brazil, Marize has spent two decades integrating non-animal methods into regulatory frameworks and education.

Catharine E. Krebs: Program Manager at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Catharine founded the Coalition to Address and Illuminate Animal Methods Bias (COLAAB) to tackle the systemic preference for animal-based research in peer-review and funding.

Huge congratulations to you both!

28/05/2026

Why are mice the most commonly used animal in medical research?

Victorians. It's always the Victorians. 🐹

Mice weren't chosen because they're the perfect mirrors of human biology. They were chosen because they were convenient, cheap, and already domesticated.

In our latest blog, we trace the path from "fancy mice" breeders in Victorian England all the way to "Mouse Number 57" (the single mouse that became the ancestor of the most widely used lab strain in the world today).

Using animals isn't an inevitable, permanent law of science. Very little is.

It's an important chapter of scientific history, and we'll never deny that medical advancements have happened as a result of animal research. What we will deny is that that's a reason to continue with it.

History moves forward, and so must we. Now we have 21st-century tools like organ-on-a-chip technology and advanced computer modelling that are designed to mimic human biology. It's better for all animals, human and non-human.

👉 Read the full story here:

See what Replacing Animal Research had to say about Why mice though?

27/05/2026

We’re so excited to kick off our Changemaker Awards by introducing our brilliant runner-up and shortlisted nominees.

We launched the Changemaker Awards to celebrate all the incredible people doing work, especially in ways that sometimes aren't recognised, but are absolutely vital.

Our runner-up and shortlisted group come from all over the globe and work in a variety of areas like veterinary training, campaigning, and pharmaceutical safety.

Swipe through to meet our runner-up and shortlisted changemakers:

🥈 Dr Dania Movia (Runner-up) | Maynooth University
⭐ Sole | Camp Beagle
⭐ Dr Anke Brüning-Richardson | University of Huddersfield
⭐ Madeline Krasno | Justify
⭐ Dr. James Watuwa | Uganda
⭐ Sally Prior | University of Huddersfield
⭐ Dr Kimberly L Rockley | ApconiX
⭐ Gretchen Ritacco, M.S | Research Institute for Fragrance Materials

Keep an eye out on Friday when we'll be announcing our two winners!

15/05/2026

This , the stats are a wake-up call:
🐸 41% of amphibians threatened
🦁 26% of mammals threatened
🪸 33% of reef corals threatened

We share this planet with a vast array of sentient beings, each vital to a healthy world. But right now, species like the long-tailed macaque are being pushed toward extinction, with populations crashing by over 50% due to the global trade for animal research. 🐒

But change can happen! 🚀

Horseshoe crabs have survived five mass extinctions. They almost didn't survive us, with over 1 million harvested every year for their blood. Now, synthetic alternatives are here and being adopted by major pharma companies.

By supporting the development of non-animal methods, we can protect these "living fossils" and ensure that scientific progress doesn’t mean the end of a species.

We can, and will, do this for every animal. 🧬✨

14/05/2026

Big news! 🚀 Our PhD Finder is officially open for business.

https://phdfinder.replacinganimalresearch.org.uk/

We know there are brilliant researchers out there developing human-relevant, animal-free science. We also know there are thousands of students looking for PhDs where they don't have to use live animals. We’re just helping you meet!

Supervisors: Got a project that replaces animals? List it on our platform today. We’re providing a dedicated space to help you find students who are as committed to non-animal methods as you are. It’s free to use and easy to manage.

Students: You can now search for animal-free PhD opportunities across the UK, filtering by the subjects and locations. No login required, just find a project and contact the supervisor directly.

Help us grow this community and make human-relevant research the new standard. 🧬🐭

12/05/2026

How do we solve "wicked problems" in science?

With over 20,000 chemicals needing safety checks in the EU alone, traditional animal tests are often too slow and, more importantly, not human-relevant enough.

To fix this, the ONTOX project gathered experts for an intensive "hackathon" to find AI-based solutions that protect people without harming animals.

The teams looked at everything from how we can trust AI models to how we can speed up the transition towards making non-animal methods the norm, not the exception.

Check out the blog for the full story:

See what Replacing Animal Research had to say about The ONTOX hackathon: accelerating non-animal toxicology

08/05/2026

Ovarian cancer is a major challenge in the UK, with around 11 women losing their lives to the disease every single day. One of the biggest hurdles is that it’s often caught far too late, when treatment options are limited.

To change this, we have to rethink the science. Traditional animal 'models' often mimic aggressive, late-stage cancer, which makes it incredibly difficult for researchers to study the earliest signs of the disease.

Our Innovation Grant has provided funding for two exciting research projects doing exactly this!

06/05/2026

Last year, 2.64 million scientific experiments used animals in Great Britain.

And, this number doesn't paint the full picture. It doesn't show the animals bred but never used, those not 'protected' under legislation, or the vast scale of animal-derived products like fetal bovine serum.

To reach a world where no animal suffers for science we need to rethink every step, including how research is funded.

We’re currently working in a sector we know very well: charity. Our tool gives funders a clear framework to scrutinise research proposals. It ensures that methods like organ-on-a-chip or 3D cultures are always the first choice, making the transition to non-animal research a practical reality.

Read the full blog here:

See what Replacing Animal Research had to say about Bridging the Replacement Gap - Reaching the Medical Research Community

29/04/2026

On Monday, animal testing was debated in Parliament, with MPs across parties attending to show their support for ending the use of animals in science. Many MPs welcomed the publication of the Government's 'Replacing Animals in Science' strategy. However, there were also concerns raised around the slow pace of delivery, gaps in the implementation of the law, the ambition of the strategy, and animal welfare concerns.

In response, the Minister for Digital Government and Data stated that the Government is 'already delivering at pace by working with regulators and partners to streamline routes for validated alternatives to be accepted', and that other commitments are underway or on track to be delivered this year.

It was fantastic to see so many MPs attend the debate and discuss the use of animals in science. Many of the concerns raised, particularly around the implementation of the law, echo our policy calls.

Read the Hansard report of the debate:

Hansard record of the item : 'Animal Testing' on Monday 27 April 2026.

27/04/2026

We want to say a huge THANK YOU and CONGRATULATIONS to our incredible 2026 London Marathon - Adam, Olivia, and Brandon.

The time, effort, and dedication you put into training and fundraising is incredible. We're so proud to have had you represent our cause during such an iconic raise.

You all smashed it and the team loved being there to cheer you on and celebrate with you!

(P.S. if you'd like to join , there's still time to join at the . DM or email [email protected] for more info!)