Animal Free Research UK funds pioneering medical research that saves humans and animals – so helping to forge a future where animals are replaced with modern, human relevant techniques.
Animal Free Research UK funds pioneering medical research that saves humans and animals – so helping to forge a future where animals are replaced with modern, human relevant techniques.
Our stringent policies ensure that none of the research we fund involves the use of living animals, animal tissues, cells or cell lines in any way. We also have strict policies on the use of animal-derived biomaterials.
A biomaterial is any synthetic or biological substance that aids the growth of cells. They can be used to create an environment for the cells to grow well in, by providing key nutrients and hormones. They can also act as scaffolds to give form or shape to growing cells, or act as protective coatings.
We do not allow the use of animal-derived biomaterials where animal replacements are available, even if the ultimate aim is to replace their use.
Where there is no animal replacement currently available, researchers applying for funding must fully justify why animal derived biomaterials need to be used, and they must explain how they will work to replace them over time. Our Scientific Advisory Panel considers all applications for funding and assesses them for scientific excellence using our strict criteria.
Animal Free Research UK does not and will never fund the use of animal serum or polyclonal antibodies under any circumstances.
Animal Free Research UK does not and will never fund the use of animal
Antibodies
Polyclonal antibodies are produced in animals, often rabbits, who have proteins from other species (including humans) injected into them. After an incubation period, their blood, which now contains polyclonal antibodies, is taken from the animals. Polyclonal antibodies are used to demonstrate the presence or absence of proteins in human tissues and cells in research and diagnosis.
In 1975, a technique was developed where cells from mice were fused together to form a perpetually growing ‘hybridoma’ which could produce endless supplies of antibodies without using further animals. These are called monoclonal antibodies.
Developing and producing polyclonal antibodies always involves using live animals which is why Animal Free Research UK will not allow their use in our funded research. Currently, monoclonal antibodies remain a central element in medical research and we only allow their use where there are no other options, although fortunately they can be increasingly replaced by synthetics, known as recombinant antibodies.
Serum
Animal serum is often used in cell culture research when scientists want to grow or maintain cells in laboratories under controlled conditions. Animal serum is extracted from the blood of animals who are killed in slaughterhouses for meat. Fetal calf serum is taken from unborn cows whose mothers are killed. Animal Free Research UK will not allow the use of any animal serum in our funded research, and there are now many replacements which can be used instead.
What Animal Free Research UK is doing
We strongly encourage scientists to avoid all animal-derived biomaterials, and we recognise that transitioning can be a tricky and time-consuming process which requires confirmational studies to assess whether the cells are adapting well and are functioning as expected. That’s why we are working hard to facilitate these efforts by:
- Supporting the FCS-free.org database which enables scientists to switch from fetal calf serum (FCS) to FCS-free cell culture media
- Advising our funded researchers on other replacements currently available to help them make the switch
- Creating a new online database listing commercially available alternatives to using antibodies taken from animals.
As well as being the right thing to do ethically, switching to human-relevant materials is scientifically smart too.
At Animal Free Research UK, we believe that developing and using human models of human disease provides the best chance of finding treatments which can make a real difference for patients.
Sadly, completely vegan research is rarely achievable at present given the prevalence of animal-derived biomaterials within scientific research. That is why we are working with industry, academia and policymakers to phase out this hidden animal use and enable scientists to stop using animals in medical research.
