Alternatives to Animal Testing, Experimentation and Dissection Articles from All-Creatures.org


Share


Roche opens new institute to advance research in human model systems

From CAARE Citizens for Alternatives to Animal Research
June 2023

Human model systems are miniature human tissues and organs derived from human stem cells that more accurately model human biology than animals. In addition to avoiding cruel animal experiments, human model systems can result in advancements in human health and disease research.

CAARE

In a huge acknowledgement that we need to move away from animal research, Swiss company Roche, the fifth-largest pharmaceutical company in the world, has just launched an Institute for Human Biology to focus on human model systems that more precisely simulate human disease than animal experiments.

Roche’s research and early development head Dr. Hans Clevers states that “Human model systems such as organoids are the future of our industry. They have the potential to enhance almost all the steps involved in the research and development of innovative medicine.”

We report on two other perfect examples of such human models: Researchers have developed a sophisticated vein on a chip to study blood clotting mechanisms, while another group of scientists are using human colorectal tumor cells to grow organoid “avatars” for testing treatments, delivering more accurate results than those developed in mouse models.

organoids

All of this begs the question: Why are we still testing on animals? The answer lies in the huge power and influence of the animal experimentation industry, which CAARE is working daily to oppose.

The pharmaceutical company Roche has launched a new institute in Switzerland called the Institute of Human Biology (IHB). The institute will include scientists and bioengineers from both academia and the pharmaceutical industry and will be focused on accelerating research and development into human model systems like organoids.

Human model systems are miniature human tissues and organs derived from human stem cells that more accurately model human biology than animals. In addition to avoiding cruel animal experiments, human model systems can result in advancements in human health and disease research.

Return to Alternatives to Animal Testing, Experimentation and Dissection Articles