Educators Receive Grants to Develop Alternatives to Animal Use. Projects in Massachusetts, Colorado and South Korea funded

May 7, 2010 - (Jenkintown, PA)- The Alternatives Research & Development Foundation (ARDF) and Animalearn, the education division of the American Anti-Vivisection Society, are pleased to announce distribution of $30,000 in grants to three projects with the aim of replacing traditional use of animals for education and training purposes. Animalearn and ARDF launched the Alternatives in Education Grant Program in December 2009 to inspire development of new techniques for significantly reducing or replacing the harmful use of animals in education on a global scale. Today's recipients are the first to be awarded with funding from this program:

Dr. Daniel D. Smeak
Veterinary Clinical Sciences
Colorado State University
Project: Core Surgical Skills Module Production

The Core Surgical Skills Module Production project will develop a complete curricular module set for core skills training in veterinary surgery; test the efficacy of each skill set; and provide standardized assessment methods for each skills module. The Alternatives in Education Grant program will fund the first phase, creating a complete core surgical skills set. This module will be submitted for peer-review by a new subcommittee of the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians.

Dr. Mary Rose Paradis
Clinical Sciences, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine
Tufts University
Project: Equusimulator Project

The Equusimulator Project will develop two structures intended to mimic the anatomy and feel of the equine neck, so that veterinary students can refine skills needed for blood collection, IV drug administration and catheterization, and other invasive procedures that can all be particularly stressful for large animals. Used in conjunction with a life-sized fabricated horse made of plastic, Dr. Paradis's students will provide an evaluation of the new method.

Gwi Hyang Lee, Ph.D. Candidate & Dr. Jin Soo Han
Laboratory Animal Medicine, Institute for the 3Rs
College of Veterinary Medicine
Konkuk University (South Korea)
Project: Development of the 3Rs platform website in Korea
Because South Korea has just recently started to establish laws and implement regulations regarding the use of animals in research, they want to help ensure a humane approach in science featuring the use of alternatives. The funded project will develop a web-based platform for sharing information and exchanging ideas regarding alternatives in veterinary medical training, emphasizing refinement, reduction, and the replacement of animals in science education.

The Science Bank: Alternatives to Animal Use in Education

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