New Project: Animal Research in Dialog at University of Zürich

 Law scholar Prof. Dr. Margot Michel, 3R Coordinator Dr. Paulin Jirkof (both University of Zurich) and Dr. Samuel Camenzind from the Vienna Animals Studies Group (APART-GSK fellow, University of Vienna) have joined forces to establish a new interdisciplinary dialogue format at the University of Zürich. The overall aim of this initiative is to build a lasting dialogue at the University of Zürich – and beyond – in order to advance the implementation of the 3Rs (Replace, Reduce, Refine) at the university level.

In particular, the initiative aims to

• foster interdisciplinary exchange and create a productive environment for discussing topics in the field of animal research.

• Shift the focus away from defending entrenched positions towards a deeper understanding of diverse scientific and ethical approaches.

• Enable participants to develop cross-disciplinary competencies for engaging with issues in animal research, animal law, and animal ethics.

• Inspire participants to carry the insights and ideas gained back into their respective fields and faculties.

• And ultimately, spark sustained interest in building bridges between disciplines and establish a lasting dialogue at UZH – and beyond.

In a first step, legal scholars, philosophers, biologists, veterinarians, and other researchers involved in animal research from the Swiss National Science Foundation project “NRP 79: Advancing 3R – Animals, research and society” were invited to join over the course of a year to debate and exchange ideas on current topics.

The initiative is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNFS) and the Faculty of Law, University of Zürich.