International Call for Proposals: CAAT’s 2026 Reduction Grant and Humane Education Grant
The Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT) invites innovative proposals that advance humane, human-relevant, and responsible science. Through the 2026 Reduction Grant and Humane Education Grant, CAAT funds projects that improve scientific quality, reduce reliance on animals in research and education, and advance scientific excellence and innovation, while enabling enhanced animal protection.
Researchers and educators worldwide are eligible to apply—an affiliation with a U.S. institution is not required.
Reduction Grant
This grant supports research projects aimed at reducing animal use through rigorous evaluation of the scientific evidence on animal research. Eligible projects include systematic reviews, scoping reviews, meta-analyses, citation analyses, and other rigorous evidence syntheses that assess the reproducibility, translational value, or scientific validity of animal models. Where feasible, proposals are encouraged to compare animal models and human-relevant methods with respect to these outcomes.
Projects must be based on synthesis and analysis of existing published evidence and must not involve the generation of new animal experimental data.
Humane Education Grant
This grant supports the development of animal-free teaching and training resources for veterinary and medical education, as well as education on animal-free New Approach Methodologies (NAMs). It is intended for educators and training material developers creating innovative educational resources that replace the use of animals and promote the broader implementation of animal-free education. Preference will be given to projects that produce transferable educational resources with strong potential for broad dissemination and adoption by other institutions.
Grant Details
- Each grant provides USD 6,000
- No Facilities and Administrative Costs are allowed
- Preference will be given to projects with broad applicability
- Equal weight will be given to the project’s potential impact on both animal protection and scientific advancement.
Proposal Requirements
Proposals should provide a detailed description of the rationale for the proposed project, its objective(s), methodology or approach, anticipated outcomes and dissemination plan. Submissions should not exceed ten pages (excluding CV). A breakdown of the proposed budget, including any additional funding sources, must be included.
Applicants should briefly explain how the proposed project incorporates the principles of responsible research, including minimizing research waste and, where appropriate, minimizing resource use and environmental impacts.
Proposal Format
- Title of proposed study
- Name, position, and CV of applicant(s)
- Institution name
- Contact information
- Proposal details
Review Criteria
- Impact on animal protection
- Innovation
- Scientific quality and rigor
- Transferability and broader impact
- Responsible use of resources, including efforts to minimize research waste and environmental impacts
Successful applicants are expected to publish their findings in a peer-reviewed journal.
Acceptance of the award implies that funds for the proposed research are not currently available from other sources.
Key Dates
- Submission deadline: September 15, 2026, 11:59 PM ET
- Notification of decision: November 2026
Submission
Applications should be submitted electronically to:
Dr. Kathrin Herrmann
Director, Education Program
Email: kherrma1@jhu.edu
Applications will be reviewed by an international panel of experts. Final funding decisions will be made by CAAT. CAAT reserves the right not to bestow an award.
CAAT Reduction Grant 2025 – Awardee
CAAT is pleased to announce Dr. Camila Coelho, PhD, MBA, Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, as a recipient of the CAAT Reduction Grant 2025 for her project:
“Human Tonsil Organoids as a Next-Generation Platform for Monoclonal Antibody Expression Replacing Mouse Hybridomas.”
The project has been awarded USD 6,000 to support the development and validation of a fully human, animal-free platform for monoclonal antibody generation—addressing both ethical concerns and scientific limitations associated with traditional animal-based hybridoma technology.
Conventional hybridoma methods require the use of dozens of mice or rabbits to generate monoclonal antibodies against a single antigen, involving animal immunization, cell fusion, and extensive screening. Beyond the ethical burden, these approaches often fail to adequately reflect the diversity and specificity of human immune responses.
Dr. Coelho’s project aims to establish a human-relevant alternative using human tonsil organoids. Derived from immune-cell–rich tissue, these organoids recreate key features of secondary lymphoid organs, enabling human B cells to be activated, undergo affinity maturation, and secrete antibodies ex vivo.
The platform will be applied using the A35 protein from the monkeypox virus (MPXV), a well-characterized antigen in Dr. Coelho’s laboratory. Previously isolated A35-specific human monoclonal antibodies from mpox-convalescent donors (Fantin et al., Cell, 2025) will serve as quality controls to validate antibodies generated by the organoids.
If successful, this project will demonstrate the feasibility of replacing traditional hybridoma methods with a more ethical, human-based system for discovering therapeutically meaningful monoclonal antibodies.
CAAT Humane Education Grant 2025 – Awardee
CAAT is pleased to announce Te Protejo, a Latin American NGO working at the intersection of science, policy, and advocacy to advance non-animal methods and humane education, as the recipient of the CAAT Humane Education Grant 2025 for its project:
“The Ethical Teaching Project – Implementing Animal-Free Teaching Methods and Developing a Conscientious Objection Guide.”
The project has been awarded USD 6,000 to support the implementation of a pilot program at a major Mexican university. Funding will contribute to the acquisition of animal-free educational models, on-site faculty training, and the development of teaching and student-support materials.
Animal use in higher education remains widespread in parts of Latin America, often requiring students to perform invasive procedures on live animals despite the availability of more accurate, ethical, and human-relevant alternatives. This project seeks to address this gap by modernizing teaching practices and embedding humane education at an institutional level.
Developed by Te Protejo in collaboration with the American Anti-Vivisection Society (AAVS), The Ethical Teaching Project begins with a structured diagnostic and mapping phase. This includes curriculum and protocol review, interviews and surveys with key academic stakeholders, and systematic documentation of how animals are currently used in teaching, with a focus on human health and veterinary programs.
Based on this diagnostic phase, priority courses will be identified where full replacement of animal use is feasible. Potential alternatives will be assessed against learning objectives, cost, infrastructure requirements, and implementation needs to ensure that animal-free methods meet—and where possible enhance—pedagogical outcomes. Faculty will receive targeted training and ongoing support to integrate these methods sustainably into teaching practice.
A central component of the project is the development of a national Conscientious Objection Guide for Mexican students. The guide will provide legal and institutional references, step-by-step practical guidance, model letters, and examples of available animal-free alternatives, empowering students to exercise their rights while supporting educators in recognizing non-animal methods as valid pedagogical tools.
If successful, The Ethical Teaching Project will demonstrate a scalable model for humane, modern life-science education, with the potential to replace thousands of animals annually and strengthen regional capacity for the adoption of non-animal methods (NAMs).