At the heart of CAAT is a deep belief in the power of education and the role it plays in driving CAAT’s mission forward.
Our range of online and on-campus programs are designed to foster an understanding of humane science. They teach the essential principles of the 3Rs – replacement, reduction, and refinement – in the scientific community and beyond.
Online Courses
Toxicology 21: Scientific Applications (Coursera): Learn about the modern concepts of regulatory toxicology that are revamping the field.
Evidence-Based Toxicology (Coursera): Understand the principles of evidence-based medicine and its application in toxicology.
Refinement of Animal Experimentation: Essential to Reduce Animal Suffering and Enhance Scientific Rigor (2 credits, 3rd term): Gain a deeper understanding of ways to reduce animal suffering and enhance scientific rigor.
Animals in Research: Law, Policy, and Humane Sciences (3 credits, 4th term): Critically appraise animal models and non-animal methods to choose the most suitable for your research.
Animal Ethics (1 credit, 4th term): Explore the ethical considerations surrounding animal research.
In-person Programs & Courses
Alternative Methods in Animal Testing (3 credits, 3rd term): This course discusses and evaluates strategies for reducing the number of animals used in research. It addresses traditional in vitro methods, including cell culture and analytical chemistry. It also discusses newer and evolving techniques such as informatics, genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics.
Humane Sciences and Toxicology (Certificate Program): Complete this curriculum to receive a certificate recognizing your competency in humane sciences and toxicology policy.
Course 180.637.81 Refinement of Animal Experimentation: Essential to Reduce Animal Suffering and Enhance Scientific Rigor (2 credits): This course covers the key refinement methods necessary to conduct research in a scientifically and ethically responsible manner.
Course 187.625.81 Animals in Research: Law, Policy, and Humane Sciences (3 credits): This eight-week course was fully revised three years ago. It prepares students to critically appraise the validity of animal models and non-animal methods to choose the best means for their specific research interests.
Course 180.638.81 Animal Ethics (1 credit): This course introduces learners to the principles of animal ethics. It focuses on nonhuman animals used in research, testing and education.
The Bloomberg School of Public Health also offers a Master of Science in Toxicology for Human Risk Assessment.
Beyond Classical Refinement
A central component of our educational programs is the Beyond Classical Refinement program lead by Kathrin Herrmann. CAAT’s Refinement Program critically appraises current animal use practices in science. It scrutinizes both animal and non-animal models regarding their quality and validity, with the goal being improvement of science in general. To learn more about this program, please visit: https://caat.publichealth.jhu.edu/beyond-classical-refinement/.
Expanding the Scope
CAAT’s educational reach extends to industry as well. Our Green Toxicology collaboration, spearheaded by Dr. Alexandra Maertens, offers a wealth of educational activities tailored to the needs of industry professionals. Our work has even been recognized by Apple. There, our faculty member, Thomas Hartung, serves as a scientific advisor. He contributes to their efforts to minimize or eliminate toxins from their products and supply chain.
Origins of the 3Rs
The Principles of Humane Experimental Technique by W.M.S. Russell and R.L. Burch
The Scope of Humane Technique: Table of Contents
Foreword to Special Edition
Preface
Scope of the Study
Integration in the Vertebrate Organism
Pain and Distress
The Criteria for and Measurement of Distress
Man and the Animal World
Monitoring Animal Experimentation
The L.A.B. Survey of 1952
The L.A.B. Data: A Further Analysis
Results of the Analysis
The Latest Developments
Direct and Contingent Inhumanity
The Analysis of Direct Inhumanity
The Diagnosis of Disease
The Removal of Inhumanity: The Three R’s
Contingent Inhumanity and the Problem of Scale
Comparative Substitution
Modes of Absolute and Relative Replacement
The Principles of Replacement
The Uses of Tissue Culture
The Uses of Microorganisms
Reduction and Strategy in Research
The Problem with Variance
The Design and Analysis of Experiments
The Sources of Physiological Variance
The Control of Phenotype
The Control of the Proximate, especially Behavioral Environment
Neutral and Stressful Studies
Generally Superimposed Procedures
The Choice of Procedures
The Choice of Species
A Concrete Problem: Experimental Psychiatry and the Humane Study of Fear
The Personality Factors
The Sociological Factors
Special Organizations
Conclusion
The Principles of Humane Experimental Technique: References and Source Index
The Principles of Humane Experimental Technique: Addendum
Directory
Below is CAAT’s comprehensive directory of global organizations devoted to the principles of the 3Rs – replacement, reduction, and refinement – and the development of alternatives to animal testing. These centers, spanning continents from North America to Asia, work tirelessly to promote ethical research practices, educate the scientific community, and advance non-animal research methods.
3Rs & Alternative Centers
- 3R-Center Tübingen
- 3Rs Centre Utrecht
- The 3Rs Collaborative (USA)
- ANZCCART (Australian and New Zealand Council for the Care of Animals in Research and Teaching)
- APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) [USDA, USA]
- AFR (Animal-free Research)
- ARDF (Alternatives Research & Development Foundation) [USA]
- AWIC (Animal Welfare Information Center) [USA]
- CCAC’s Three R’s Microsite (Canadian Council on Animal Care)
- Centre for Advanced Research & Development on Alternative Methods (CARDAM)
- Centro de Alternativas al uso de Animales en la Enseñaza [Mexico]
- Danish 3R-Center
- EBTOX (Evidence-Based Toxicology (EBT) Collaboration)
- ECOPA (European Consensus-Platform for Alternatives)
- ECVAM (European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods)
- Einstein Center 3R (Berlin)
- EPAA (European Partnership for Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing)
- Ethics of Medical Research with Animals (The Hastings Center) [USA]
- FC3R (3R French Center)
- FIN3R (3R Centre Finland)
- FRAME (Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments) [UK]
- FRANCOPA (French Platform for the Development of Alternative Methods in Animal Testing)
- GTEMA (Spanish Group on Alternative Methods)
- HSUS (Humane Society of the United States) [USA]
- I-CARE (International Centre for Alternatives in Research and Education) [India]
- ICCVAM/NICEATM (Interagency Coordinating Committee for the Validations of Alternative Methods / NICEATM (NTP Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological Methods) [USA]
- IFER (The International Foundation for Ethical Research) [USA]
- ILAR (Institute for Laboratory Animal Research) [USA]
- IIVS ( Institute for in vitro Science) [USA]
- The Institute for the 3Rs [Korea]
- JaCVAM (Japanese Center for the Validation of Alternative Methods)
- Korean Society of Alternatives to Animal Experiments
- MAWA (Medical Advances Without Animals)
- NC3Rs (National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research) [UK]
- NEAVS (New England Anti-Vivisection Society) [USA]
- Norecopa (Norwegian Consensus Platform on Alternatives) (Norwegian National Platform for Alternatives)
- Prince Laurent Foundation [Belgium]
- REMA (Spanish National Platform on Alternatives) [Spain]
- RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) [UK]
- SCAW (Scientists Center for Animal Welfare) [USA]
- ZEBET (Centre for Documentation and Evaluation of Alternative Methods to Animal Experiments) [Germany]