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At the heart of our academic mission, we are firmly committed to conducting our research activities with integrity and ethics, paying particular attention to protecting and respecting the animals used in our studies We also strive to reduce the number of animals used and to use alternative methods wherever possible.
In 2021, the University of Aix Marseille took a significant step by signing the Charte de Transparence sur l'Expérimentation Animale, in partnership with GIRCOR (Groupe Interprofessionnel de Réflexion et de Communication sur la Recherche). 
Animal research raises dilemmas not only for scientists who use animals in their medical research, but also for society as a whole. 
To this day, animal research remains indispensable because it is the most suitable approach for studying the behavior of living organisms in all their integrity and complexity. Alternative in vitro (cell cultures, biochemistry, mini-organisms) and in silico (computer science, modelling) methods play an important role in many research projects, but they do not yet enable us to understand and reproduce all the complex interactions within a living organism.
On this page, we would like to inform you about our policy, practices and achievements in the field of animal welfare. We invite you to explore the various sections to discover how the university promotes a research culture that respects animals:

• Promotion of the 3Rs principle (Replace, Reduce, Refine) among all staff involved: veterinarians, animal caretakers, project developers and designers;
• Application of current regulations concerning the approval of premises and research projects.

Useful links:

1. AMU signs the transparency charter on the use of animals for scientific and regulatory purposes in FranceUnderstanding
2. animal research and its alternatives,

The 3Rs:

The principles of the 3Rs - Replace, Reduce and Refine - are at the heart of our policy on animal model research, in order to guarantee the well-being of the animals used in our studies:
 

Replace

as soon as possible the use of animals by alternative methods, such as cell cultures, the use of mini-organ (or organoids), computer models... Alternatives must be reliable and validated for each scientific study.

Reduce

the number of animals used in our studies to the strict minimum necessary to obtain scientifically valid data. This involves planning experiments, using appropriate statistical methods, and implementing effective experimental protocols to maximize the information obtained from each animal.

Refine

experimental procedures and improve animal living and housing conditions, using appropriate anesthetics and analgesics where necessary. But also training staff to identify early monitoring points that will lead to the handling being stopped if pain cannot be alleviated, and guaranteeing optimal handling and care practices.

• Example of refinement put in place to ensure genotyping of transgenic

animalsOther R's are equally important
- Rehabilitating laboratory animals in a shelter, foster Â鶹tv or other setting after their use.
- Make all those involved in animal research, caretakers and researchers aware of the importance of animal welfare, so as to apply ethical principles and implement the 3Rs principles on a daily basis.

Useful links:

3. 3RsHabilitation of laboratory animals:
    
   

Compliance with regulations:

In France, the use of animals for experimental purposes is regulated by European Directive 2010/63/EU, transposed into the French Rural and Maritime Fishing Code. These regulations lay down strict standards for the use, care and treatment of laboratory animals, as well as specific requirements for supervision, staff training and transparent communication of research activities.
 

The research project:

Any research project involving the use of animals must undergo a rigorous authorization procedure. This procedure includes an in-depth evaluation, by an animal experimentation ethics committee (CE2A), of the scientific and ethical justification for the project, as well as the measures taken to guarantee the welfare of the animals used.
Once approved by the ethics committee, the project is then submitted to the competent authorities for final authorization before the study begins.

Useful links: