Dissemination of COST Action IMPROVE at the FEPS-SECF conference in Granada, Spain

Prof. Arti Ahluwalia attended the FEPS-SECF conference 2024 (link to conference website) in Granada (Spain) from September 4-6th 2024.

• Title of the presentation: "Lab on a Laptop"
• Co-authors: Botte E, Mancini P, Fontana F, Magliaro C
• Presentation details: Presented at the Symposium on "New in silico approach methodologies for designing physiologically relevant models of human tissues", proposed and co-chaired by Dr. Elena Grasselli and Prof. Arti Ahluwalia. Her presentation introduced the 3Rs and the IMPROVE network. It focused on accessible computational tools for designing better research methods, integrated into graphical user interfaces, showcasing a "Lab on a Laptop" concept. The approach aligns with the emergent 3R methodologies (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) and innovative New Approach Methodologies (NAMs).

Prof. Arti Ahluwalia (second from the right) with the other speakers of their session.

The key outcomes were discussions during breaks highlighted the limited adoption of non-animal models due to perceived simplicity compared to animal experiments. The human-centric perspective in this community often sees lab animals as instruments, reflecting substantial funding influences (e.g., pharma). As future outreach Prof. Arti Ahluwalia plans to attend the Italian Physiological Society meeting in 2025 to further advocate for 3Rs and NAMs. In addition, collaborations were initiated with researchers from Switzerland and Italy, focusing on data analysis of human exercise and animal models.