On June 22, 2026, the Animal Research Tomorrow Society conference and award ceremony brought together a vibrant mix of science communication and 3Rs-focused research. From the opening session, it was clear that the afternoon had been designed around a shared theme: how transparency, refinement, and public engagement are increasingly shaping the future of biomedical science.
The SciComm block set the tone for reflection on how science is communicated beyond the laboratory. In her keynote SciComm talk, Maša Čater explored “Science in the Open: Trust, Transparency, and the Future of Animal Research Communication,” and the growing expectation that openness is no longer optional, but foundational. She emphasized that maintaining trust in animal research requires more than accurate messaging, demanding an ongoing dialogue with diverse audiences, from policymakers to students. Importantly, she highlighted the challenge of preserving scientific rigor while adapting communication to different levels of understanding.
This theme of engagement and accessibility continued with the 2025 ART SciComm Award progress report, presented by Silvina Diaz. Her work focused on developing outreach tools tailored specifically for teenagers, a group often overlooked in discussions of animal research. By meeting young audiences where they are, her approach illustrated how early engagement can help demystify complex ethical and scientific topics and foster long-term scientific literacy.
The SciComm session then turned toward a more reflective perspective with the 2026 award segment by Francesca Radicioni. In her talk, “500 Days Together – Beyond animal experimentation,” she invited the audience to think differently about the narratives that surround research animals. Rather than viewing experiments as isolated events, she emphasized continuity, responsibility, and the ethical transitions that extend beyond experimental endpoints.
After the break, the focus shifted from communication to methodological innovation within the 3Rs framework. The session was opened by keynote 3Rs speaker Sally Thompson-Iritani with “The 3Rs Orbit: To Infinity and Beyond.” Her talk reframed the 3Rs not as a static regulatory checklist, but as a dynamic and expanding system driven by scientific progress and cultural change in research environments. The metaphor of an “orbit” captured the idea of continuous movement and evolution rather than fixed boundaries.
The 2025 ART 3Rs Awardees then presented progress on projects aimed at refining experimental approaches and reducing animal use. Filipa Antunes shared work on intranasal administration as a minimally invasive alternative in stem cell-based models of Parkinson’s disease, highlighting how route of delivery can significantly reduce procedural burden while maintaining translational relevance. Ernesto Gulin followed with an overview of in vitro strategies for assessing developmental and reproductive toxicity, particularly in the context of neglected drugs for neglected diseases, an area where alternative methods are urgently needed but often underdeveloped.
The afternoon concluded with the 2026 ART 3Rs Awardees, each presenting forward-looking approaches that further expand the boundaries of non-animal research. Andrew Worthy introduced a computational framework for quantifying spinal inhibition, strengthening in silico models of motor control by integrating physiological data. Finally, Mohit Mohit presented an advanced animal-free retinal drug testing platform based on long-term human iPSC-derived RPE-retina co-cultures, underscoring the increasing sophistication and relevance of complex in vitro systems.
As in previous years, the day unfolded as a conversation between the two interconnected domains ART prides itself in advancing: science communication and the 3Rs. And the take-home message was clear: the future of biomedical research lies in the use of advanced model systems – animal-based or otherwise – in a transparent, responsible, and integrated way.
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