Yutong will explore state-of-the-art artificial intelligence-based methods to reduce the time taken to acquire magnetic resonance images (MRI).

Rosie’s project will develop better human relevant models of bowel cancer to allow scientists to study how drugs penetrate dense cancer tissue without using animals.

Riddhi will develop a method to study the genetic and environmental causes of Parkinson’s disease in human brain cell lines, to assess whether the cells are entering a diseased state.

Morwenna will build a cell-based membrane which will act as a model for the cornea allowing her to find novel ways of delivering drugs without relying on testing in animals.

Izzy’s project will create, characterise and adopt an animal free approach towards genotoxicity testing of a variety of different human toxicants, using advanced human lung and liver model systems.

Imogen will test if an animal-free media can be used to grow and differentiate a cellular model of dementia.

Fiona will investigate the physical and biological changes that occur within the body as a result of heart attack and severe haemorrhage.

Emily-Rose will work to establish a new method of growing neuron-like cells to study Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) which is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders.

Dania will use artificial intelligence (AI) approaches to allow her to address an important unmet clinical need: can we predict tumour recurrence for head and neck cancer.

Amir will use 3D human organoid models of normal colon tissue and of colon cancer to help to identify new treatment strategies.

Ali’s project seeks to use a hybrid of computer learning and animal free laboratory techniques to develop a prognostic marker for head and neck cancer.

Zachary will use non-invasive methods on human participants to improve the function of prosthetic hands and help replace invasive experiments on cats, dogs and rats.

Samantha will develop a human skin-wound and infection model to help replace experiments on pigs, mice and rats in skin disease research. 

Nilab will develop an animal-free model of the human eye to research inflammation and infection of the eye and help replace experiments on rabbits.

Keerthana will use artificial intelligence and human tumour samples to predict if oral cancer will spread, and to help replace experiments on mice.

Kathryn will produce synthetic compounds to monitor microbial infections and Alzheimer’s disease and help replace experiments on millions of animals worldwide – including hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, goats, sheep, horses, mice and rats.

Katherine will use human skin to investigate if she can speed up and improve the repair of human skin wounds and help replace experiments on mice and pigs in skin research.

Josan will edit human cells to understand the role of genes in autism and 3p deletion syndrome to help replace experiments on mice and rats.

James will develop a computational model to predict the psychoactivity of molecules affecting the central nervous system and help replace experiments on mice, rats, cats and monkeys.

Intisar will develop a non-invasive tool for detecting, monitoring and treating cancer, to help replace experiments on mice and other animals worldwide used to produce antibodies.

Faris will develop a novel detection method to replace antibodies in the diagnostic testing of HIV and help replace experiments on millions of animals worldwide – including hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, goats, sheep, horses, mice and rats.

Dylan will develop an animal-free model to investigate how breast cancer can spread throughout the body and help to replace experiments on mice.

Deyna will develop an animal free 3D cell model of human muscle contraction to help replace experiments on mice and rats in exercise related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, obesity and heart disease.

Abigail will develop and validate an all-human model of Parkinson’s disease to replace experiments on mice, rats, dogs and monkeys.

Supervised by Dr Yubing Shi at Northampton University, Zhuo Song used computer modelling to help replace sheep and pig experiments in the clinical study of artificial hearts.

Supervised by Dr Christopher Rowlands at Imperial College London, Ze Lum built a test system that mimics a real human eye, to automatically take full diagnostic maps of the retina, to help replace experiments on cats and monkeys.

Supervised by Dr Zaynah Maherally at the University of Portsmouth, Thomas Clark unlocked the role of pericytes (cells that line blood vessels) in an all-human blood-brain barrier model, to help replace rats and mice in brain tumour research.

Supervised by Dr Nathaniel Milton at Leeds Beckett University, Sheree Smith researched the replacement of antibodies with non-animal synthetics (nucleotide aptamers) for use in Alzheimer’s disease and cancer research, to help replace experiments on mice.

Supervised by Dr Nick Peake at Sheffield Hallam University, Rachel Sharp built a physiologically relevant model of fat development during inflammatory bowel disease, to replace experiments on mice.

Supervised by Dr Adrian Biddle at Queen Mary University London, Olivia Knowles identified a novel cancer stem cell sub-population in melanoma (skin cancer) samples using a new protocol, to help replace the use of mice.

Supervised by Michelle Botha at the University of Hertfordshire, Niamh Haslett developed computer models to predict psychoactivity in new drugs rather than testing in mice.

Supervised by Dr Helen Colley at the University of Sheffield, Jowi Guillen developed tissue-engineered models to study the development of oral cancer, to help replace experiments on mice and hamsters.

Supervised by Dr Paul Roach at Loughborough University, Jodie Evans developed microfluidic neuronal cell circuits from computer-aided design through to 3D printing to help replace tests on mice and monkeys.

Supervised by Dr Susan Scholes at Newcastle University, Georgia Ellis developed a pea-protein lubricant to help replace foetal calf serum for the wear testing of artificial joints.

Supervised by Dr Sylwia Ammoun at Plymouth University, Foram Dave used a human cell culture model to study cells from brain tumour patients and test drugs, allowing a faster ‘bench to bedside’ transition into clinical trials without animal tests.

Supervised by Dr Ewelina Hoffman at the University of Hertfordshire, Elisa Ali developed a human in vitro model to help replace rats and mice in pulmonary (lung) fibrosis research.

Supervised by Dr Leonid Nikitenko at Hull University, Eamon Faulkner developed fully humanised and animal free models to study the role of blood vessel cells in chronic diseases.

Supervised by Dr Matthew Kitching at Durham University, Domonkos Perenyi used artificial cell mimics to replace the use of egg yolk in understanding how cell membranes move.

Taleen Shakouri, supervised by Dr Stewart Kirton and Dr Michelle Botha at the University of Hertfordshire, developed a toxicology computer model, to replace experiments on monkeys, dogs and mice.

Stephanie Lunt, supervised by Dr Adrian Biddle at the Animal Replacement Centre Queen Mary University of London, used patient cancer samples to identify biomarkers in skin cancer to help replace the use of mice.

Shreya Asher will be working at Queen Mary University of London on a skin cell culture model to better understand skin cancer without having to conduct any experiments on mice.

Supervised by Dr Colin Boyle at Imperial College London, Sergi Fayos Villalta undertook a computational modelling project looking at the development of pressure ulcers and soft tissue damage to replace the use of mice and rats.

Rachel Henderson, supervised by Dr Helen Wheadon at the University of Glasgow, used human-relevant research to study leukaemia without using animals.

Oana Voloaca, supervised by Dr Melissa Lacey at Sheffield Hallam University, used a novel gut tissue model to investigate the influence of bacteria in gastrointestinal diseases (such as crohn’s disease), to replace experiments on rats.

Lauren Richardson, supervised by Dr Luigi De Girolamo at Nottingham Trent University, studied the proteins related to Parkinson’s disease, to replacing experiments on primates, rats and mice.

Evie Gruszyk, supervised by Dr Nicholas Peake at Sheffield Hallam University, developed a cell culture model to understand colorectal cancer without experimenting on mice.

Edward Nendick, supervised by Dr Mandy Johnstone at the University of Edinburgh, used one of the latest cutting-edge gene editing technologies, CRISPR-Cas9, to further our understanding of schizophrenia and replace experiments on mice.

Diliany Oliveira, supervised by Dr Mridula Chopra at the University of Portsmouth, developed a non-animal based screening tool to detect cancer biomarkers and replace the use of animals in prostate cancer research.

Bronte Munro, supervised by Dr Jelena Gavrilovic at the University of East Anglia, investigated the causes of atopic dermatitis and psoriasis using cell culture, to replace experiments on mice.

Alexander Lanz, at the University of Sheffield, developed a cell culture model of osteoarthritis, to replace current experiments on guinea pigs, rats and rabbits.

Summer Student Nefisa Marium undertook a project to monitor vitamin D metabolism using human cell culture, rather than using mice. Her work will enable researchers worldwide to gain greater understanding of how vitamin D is truly handled in human health and disease.

Baransel Kamaz undertook a Summer Studentship in 2014 to directly study human liver cancer using human-derived cells, under the supervision of Dr. Meritxell Huch at the University of Cambridge. They hope that the results will replace experiments on rats and mice.