3R Education
Infrastructure and Interdisciplinary Integration at Justus Liebig University Gießen
The infrastructure at Justus Liebig University Gießen provides an excellent framework for developing innovative educational concepts that contribute to the visible and sustainable implementation of the 3R principles. Over the past years, the human-animal relationship has significantly evolved, resulting in a shifted societal perception and evaluation of the use of laboratory animals. Alongside purely ethical considerations, such as the capacity for suffering in animals, legal and animal rights issues are also addressed. From the perspective of some scientists who use animal models, limitations in the use of these models are increasingly recognized. The 3R principles—Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement—can play a crucial role in this discourse. They are both scientifically and politically relevant, respect the animal's right to integrity, and promote the development of innovative technologies that surpass animal models. Additionally, these principles reflect the issues from various ethical positions and provide the basis for a respectful dialogue. It becomes apparent that the 3R principles can only be successful if as many diverse disciplines as possible are involved. It is not sufficient for experts from a single discipline—such as veterinarians on minimization of suffering, bioinformaticians on in silico models, or pharmacologists/toxicologists on alternative methods—to exchange ideas. Such disciplinary approaches alone are not capable of disseminating the insights across professional boundaries effectively.
3R research can be seen as a field that addresses not only biomedical facts but also societal and political issues. This science form cannot solely focus on internal stimuli. An interdisciplinary approach involves the joint development and examination of hypotheses and technologies, resulting in the exchange of concepts and data. The main goal of interdisciplinary research is the enhancement and integration of knowledge, with a central success criterion being the diffusion of results from problem-oriented research.
From its inception in 2017, the interdisciplinary orientation has been the cornerstone of all activities at the Gießen 3R Center. Leveraging the outstanding university structure at Justus Liebig University, the center aims to make a sustainable contribution to the implementation of the 3R principles, in line with Russell and Burch's vision.
The Gießen 3R Center already boasts intensive networking among the faculties of Veterinary Medicine, Medicine, Biology, Agricultural Sciences, Sociology, and Law, and continuously connects on both national and international levels.
Given the involvement of diverse actors in the described context, who cover associated professions and academic degrees, there is a need for varied educational concepts. The development of these concepts is a focus of the 3R-Education research program.
3R Education - Programm
