INFRAFRONTIER joins EARA’s #BOARD26 campaign to promote openness in biomedical research
INFRAFRONTIER is proud to participate in the European Animal Research Association’s (EARA) #BOARD26 – Be Open About Animal Research Day, a global initiative that encourages transparency about the role of animal research and its contribution to biomedical science. This year’s campaign focuses on an important message: animal research and New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) are complementary, not competing, approaches.
As a European research infrastructure dedicated to advancing disease modelling, INFRAFRONTIER supports an integrated approach that combines cutting-edge animal models with innovative human-relevant technologies to accelerate biomedical discovery while adhering to the principles of the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement).
To mark #BOARD26, INFRAFRONTIER has developed a campaign infographic illustrating how in vivo, in vitro, and in silico approaches work together to improve disease modelling and deliver better outcomes for patients. The materials highlight the complementary strengths of advanced rodent models and emerging NAMs, including organoids, organs-on-chip, 3D bioprinting and AI-based data analysis.
Animal models provide the physiological complexity and systems-level understanding that cannot yet be reproduced in simplified experimental systems, while New Approach Methodologies offer powerful tools to investigate specific biological mechanisms in controlled environments. Together, these approaches validate one another, accelerate translation to patients and help refine animal use.
As an example of the relevance of traditional animal models, Prof. Dr. Johannes Beckers, Scientific Managing Director of INFRAFRONTIER highlights: “Epigenetic inheritance is a key driver of the diabetes pandemic. Only animal models allow us to research how parental lifestyles influence the health of offspring through sperm and eggs. This work is the essential foundation for new prevention strategies. By understanding these intergenerational links, we can protect future generations from disease. Animal research remains a vital tool in our mission to stop the diabetes crisis at its biological roots”.
Through its participation in #BOARD26, INFRAFRONTIER reaffirms its commitment to responsible, transparent and innovative biomedical research. By integrating advanced animal models with next-generation methodologies, the research community can continue to improve scientific understanding, accelerate the development of new therapies and reduce animal use wherever scientifically possible.
