Neuroscience, the study of the brain and nervous system, is one of the research areas in Switzerland that has relied heavily on the use of animals, as revealed by our analysis of trends in the number of animal uses over the last 27 years.

As scientific methods advance, new possibilities are emerging to replace animal experiments and reduce the number of animals required. Central to this progress is the development of human cell-based models that offer both biological relevance and a more ethical approach to studying complex brain diseases.

In the linked pdf we are sharing the most recent work and advancements from three research groups. Together, they show how novel in vitro methods are being used to address major public health questions, from evaluating whether environmental chemicals may harm the developing brain, to understanding neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD, and finding better ways to study aggressive childhood brain cancer.

Read the article here.

Find a short teaser to the article below.

DID YOU KNOW?

The human body is made up of trillions of tiny building blocks called cells. Different types of cells have different jobs, from carrying oxygen (blood cells) to transmitting signals (nerve cells).

What does “in vitro” mean?

In vitro (Latin for “in glass”) refers to experiments conducted outside a living organism, typically in a laboratory. These methods allow researchers to study biological processes using cells and tissues in controlled conditions.

Are you familiar with the -oids?

Spheroids, tumoroids, and organoids are tiny three-dimensional clusters of cells grown artificially in the laboratory from human (or non-human) cells. Unlike traditional flat cell cultures, these 3D models better mimic the architecture and cell-to-cell interactions found in living human tissue. They range from simpler, easier-to-produce models (spheroids) that lack spatial differentiation to more complex structures that more closely mimic functional parts of organs (organoids).

• Spheroids are self-assembling clusters of cells that replicate the structure and function of small pieces of tissue, such as part of the brain.
• Tumoroids are grown directly from a patient’s tumour sample, retaining the cellular diversity and characteristics of the original cancer.
• Organoids are simplified versions of functional parts of organs, often grown from stem cells (cells that can develop into many different cell types), allowing scientists to study human development and disease.

By providing new human-relevant technologies that enable researchers to study specific questions about human biology, these models support the Replacement of animal experimentation and the Reduction of animal numbers in biomedical research.