Alternatives to animal research
Alternatives to animal research
To answer complex biological questions, researchers need the right model. At the Crick, we use a range of methods, including cell cultures, organoids and computer models, alongside animal models where they are still needed.
We share the clear ambition to reduce and ultimately replace animals wherever possible, and we use a range of alternative technologies to reduce reliance on animal models.
Alternatives to animal research
Cell lines
Researchers use cell lines to study fundamental processes such as cell growth and division, and the effects of genetic mutations in disease. Cells are cultured from different sources, including genetically modified mice and tumour samples from people with cancer.
Organoids
Organoids are three-dimensional cell cultures that model aspects of tissues and organs. They help researchers study processes such as infection, tissue regeneration and cancer progression, and are used in early-stage testing of potential therapies. Derived from healthy or diseased tissue, they more closely resemble biological structures than traditional two-dimensional cultures.
Stem cells
Stem cells are used by researchers to study development, differentiation, fertility and reproductive health. They can also be grown into organoids and used to model disease. They are also important for studying blood and bone marrow environments, helping researchers understand normal blood production and blood cancers.
Computer modelling
Researchers are building advanced generative computer models that combine experimental data with artificial intelligence, to better understand and predict fundamental biological processes, including how proteins move, fold and interact.
Why alternatives cannot yet fully replace animals in research
Non-animal methods are advancing, but fully replacing animal research remains a long-term goal. Current scientific and technical limitations mean they cannot yet capture the full complexity of living systems.
Our bodies are made up of interacting systems that we cannot yet recreate in the lab.
When animal models are needed
Discovering new biology
Alternative models rely on existing knowledge and predefined parameters, which can limit their ability to reveal entirely new processes or pathways.
Modelling complex systems
Non-animal models are useful for studying specific processes, but cannot yet replicate how many different biological systems interact across a whole organism.
Capturing interactions with the environment
Many diseases, including tuberculosis and cancer, are shaped by interactions between biology and the environment over time. These involve immune responses, hormonal signalling and whole-body changes across different tissues and organs, which current alternatives cannot fully capture.
