At the grand opening of the 3R Center at HFU, the following individuals highlighted its significance (from left): Prof. Dr. Margareta Müller, Prof. Dr. Petra Boukamp, Prof. Dr. Monilola Olayioye, Mike Höfer, Dr. Nicole Anderle, and Prof. Dr. Jan Tuckermann.
3R Center opens at Furtwangen University
Furtwangen University is a member of the prestigious 3R Network of the State of Baden-Württemberg. The HFU 3R Center has now been officially opened on the Schwenningen campus — intended to serve as a hub for research, teaching and networking and to actively promote the development and use of innovative alternative methods. The fact that Furtwangen University is the only university of applied sciences to join the 3R Network is thanks to the long-standing commitment of Prof. Dr. Margareta Müller, Dean of the Faculty of Health, Medical, and Life Sciences to research on in vitro models for tissue simulation.
On behalf of the university administration, Prof. Dr. Ulrike Salat, Vice-President, Partnership and Society, extended a warm welcome to the participants to the opening ceremony. The biologist emphasised that the development of new active ingredients often takes ten to twenty years. Before new active ingredients can be used in humans, they must undergo extensive testing for efficacy and safety. According to Salat, animal testing is still indispensable in certain areas, and that is precisely why innovative alternative methods are becoming increasingly important. For example, cell culture models and other modern testing methods can already replace traditional animal testing in specific fields of application today. HFU’s inclusion in the 3R Network is therefore an important step for the university and a strong signal in support of responsible research.
Speaking on behalf of the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research, and the Arts, Mike Höfer emphasised that the 3R Network extends far beyond animal welfare. It also serves as a driver of innovation for Baden-Württemberg as a research hub. New complementary and alternative methods open up new perspectives for biomedical research and strengthen collaboration between universities, research institutions and companies. Particularly in times when scientific findings are increasingly being questioned, dialogue with the public is also of great importance. Höfer thanked Furtwangen University for its commitment and its contribution to the further development of modern research methods.
Nicole Anderle from the office of the Baden-Württemberg 3R Network then explained the significance of the 3R principle, which is based on the principles of Replacement (avoidance), Reduction (minimisation), and Refinement (improvement). The goal is to replace animal testing with alternative methods wherever possible, to reduce the number of animals used to the absolute minimum, and to keep the stress on the animals as low as possible. The network brings together universities, research institutions and other partners in the state with the shared goal of combining excellent research with responsible animal welfare. The focus is on the development of innovative alternative methods, scientific exchange and close collaboration among the participating institutions.
Professor Dr. Petra Boukamp from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg opened the scientific section of the opening ceremony with her presentation entitled “The Success Story of Human 3D Organotypic Cultures – The Human Skin Equivalents.” She demonstrated how human skin and other tissue structures can be realistically recreated in the laboratory using three-dimensional cell culture models. Such models make it possible to study biological processes and tumour development more closely, as well as to explore new therapeutic approaches — with the potential to replace animal testing in many areas.
Following this, Professor Dr. Monilola Olayioye from the University of Stuttgart presented modern tumour tissue models in her lecture “Ex Vivo Tumour Slice Cultures: A Platform for Personalised Cancer Therapy.” These methods make it possible to study the effects of different therapeutic approaches directly on excised tumour tissue and could help tailor cancer treatments more closely to individual patients in the future.
In his presentation titled “Steroids are Central Regulators of Immune Metabolism – Lessons from the Mouse, Perspectives on NAMs?”, Professor Dr. Jan Tuckermann from the University of Ulm focused on the role of steroid hormones in the immune system. He highlighted how findings from basic research can help develop new animal-free methods (New Approach Methodologies, NAMs) for biomedical research.
The concept of the 3R Center at Furtwangen University encompasses not only research activities but is also interdisciplinary in nature and includes a comprehensive teaching and knowledge transfer programme. “At HFU, we always incorporate our research methods directly into our teaching,” explains Prof. Müller, “it is important that the next generation of scientists develops expertise in the 3Rs from the very beginning.” Their concept also includes continuing education modules for interested parties from research and industry, as well as the establishment of consulting and service offerings, so that the center promotes the dissemination of 3R methods in scientific and industrial practice. The “3R Development and Transfer Center for 3D Tissue Models in vitro and in silico” is supported by the state for three years. Besides Prof. Dr. Margareta Müller, Prof. Dr. Knut Möller, Prof. Dr. Volker Hass and Prof. Dr. Matthias Kohl are also involved in the research at HFU.
Further impressions
