How to Foster 'New Approach Methodology' Toxicologists

Area of Science:

• * Toxicology and regulatory science.
• * Development and application of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs).

Background:

• * Increasing global emphasis on the 3Rs principles: reduce, refine, and replace animal experimentation.
• * Emergence of NAMs offers promising alternatives but faces challenges in understanding and regulatory acceptance.
• * Complexity of NAMs and data analysis hinders widespread adoption and necessitates improved educational strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To describe an educational exchange initiative focused on introducing scientists to non-animal approaches.
• * To showcase the value of NAMs and methods for overcoming knowledge gaps.
• * To support the development of resources for implementing alternatives to animal testing.

Main Methods:

• * An educational exchange involving two universities and two small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs).
• * Implementation of a series of video training sessions.
• * Focus on demonstrating the added value of NAMs and addressing implementation challenges.

Main Results:

• * The video training sessions facilitated knowledge sharing between academic institutions and industry.
• * The initiative successfully introduced scientists to non-animal approaches and their benefits.
• * Demonstrated a viable model for creating educational resources to support NAMs adoption.

Conclusions:

• * Targeted educational programs are essential for increasing the understanding and acceptance of NAMs.
• * Collaborative efforts between academia and industry can accelerate the development and implementation of non-animal testing methods.
• * The described educational exchange serves as a successful model for promoting alternatives to animal experimentation.