The 2026 call for 3Rs Support Grants closed with 112 applications, around ten times the number received by any comparable earlier round. That was far more than the budget could fund or the expert panel could review in depth, so we changed the assessment procedure after the call had closed. This page explains what we did, […]

Cell-based technologies, ranging from conventional cell culture to more complex engineered models such as organoids and organ-on-chip systems, are becoming increasingly important for biomedical research, drug development and toxicology. By generating information before animal studies are undertaken, they contribute to the Reduction of animal use in research. Depending on the scientific context, they may even […]

Miriam Zemanova created a website to let scientists know about tricks to reduce or eliminate harm to animals while studying wildlife. For that project she received the 3Rs Award 2026.

The two 2026 winners of the Young 3Rs Investigators Awards are Blandine Clément, for her work on treating chronic pain, and Amanzhol Kurmashev, for his work on tackling antibiotic resistance.

This report looks at if and how Swiss scientists are going beyond legal compliance in how they implement the Culture of Care.

Designing and Reporting In Vitro Experiments Responsibly The DRIVER recommendations provide a practical framework to improve the quality ofin vitro research. They set out six items – core principles that support researchers designhigh-quality in vitro studies and report them transparently. Developed by an international working group of experts, of which the Swiss 3RCC is a […]

The Culture of Care Award recognises an individual or group who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to promoting and implementing a strong Culture of Care within a research institution that uses animals. The award honours initiatives that go beyond legal requirements, fostering a positive and responsible research environment that benefits animals, staff and society. This may […]

This is an extended breakdown of the activities of the Swiss 3RCC in 2025. It's intended primarily for our partners, funders and the wider research community.

Our Activity Reports are condensed overviews on our activities. They are an accessible insight into the work that goes on at the Swiss 3RCC.

This report provides a structured overview of national and international initiatives aimed at replacing and reducing the use of animals in research, testing and education. Focusing on legally binding measures and regulatory-driven actions, the report maps developments across sectors such as cosmetics testing, chemical safety and biomedical research. It highlights policy shifts led by governments, […]

These short animated videos explain important ideas about the 3Rs and how research is carried out responsibly.

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 […]

The Culture of Care is a key approach in research involving animals, focusing on responsibility, reflection and animal welfare. To celebrate recent successes in Switzerland, we created a short comic strip highlighting the work of Angelika Offinger from the Animal Caretaker Team at the University of Basel. The comic is available to download below in […]

Every medicine we rely on today, from painkillers to cancer drugs, has gone through a long and complex development process. Before a drug ever reaches patients, it must be carefully tested to check if it is safe and effective. Today, much of this testing is still done in animals. While studies using animals can provide […]

A factsheet explaining how animals are used in Switzerland, how often, and with what level of burden, in simple terms.

The Culture of Care Working Group of the Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), Bellinzona Institutes of Science (Bios⁺) won the Culture of Care Award 2025 in recognition of fostering a culture of care for animals used in research.

The Swiss 3R Competence Centre (3RCC) honours the Award winners: Fides Zenk, Doris Zauchner & Manon Murdeu for groundbreaking, human-relevant research replacing and reducing animal use in science.

The Pint of Science has had huge success in reaching the public with science for many years and we were delighted to host evenings of the 3Rs presentations and discussion in Bern and Geneva in May 2025.

The Swiss 3R Competence Centre (3RCC) has appointed former Vice Chair, Dr. Homare Yamahachi from the University of Bern as the new Executive Board Chair, effective 2025.

The award goes to Dr. Petra Seebeck (University of Zurich) & Dr. Stephan Zeiter (AO Research Institute Davos) for their pioneering initiative in promoting Good Surgical Practice in rodent surgery.

The 3Rs are a fundamental principle for professionals working in science with animals, yet outside the research community, they remain relatively unknown. For the 3RCC, outreach is imperative—not only to highlight the importance of animals in research but also to showcase the continuous progress being made to Replace and Reduce animals in science, and to Refine their use. With this goal in mind, and on a chilly Saturday night in November, the 3RCC brought the 3Rs to a packed audience at CatCave9, a monthly improv show.

Two pioneering research projects will be funded under the Targeted Call 2023 funding scheme to advance responsibility by reducing surplus animals and promoting change.

The Swiss 3RCC has announced the recipients of the 2023 3Rs award and the Young 3Rs Investigator Award.

The 3RCC will fund five research projects spanning different focuses within the 3Rs (replacement, reduction, refinement) at Swiss research institutions with a total of CHF 1,855,623.

The Swiss 3R Competence Centre (3RCC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Rolf Zeller as its new Vice President.