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SharePETA Science Consortium International e.V. works to replace animal-derived reagents commonly used in laboratories with animal-free versions that are more scientifically robust. Animal-derived reagents may cause unexpected experiment outcomes due to uncharacterised components and batch-to-batch variability in biomolecule composition, and they can become contaminated with animal proteins or pathogens. Animal-free reagents can increase the reliability, reproducibility, and human relevance of research and testing, and they allow scientists to better define and understand the reagents used in their studies.
The Science Consortium aims to eliminate the following uses of animal-derived components.
- Cell culture media, which are comprised of diverse constituents that help cells function and grow: For example, foetal bovine serum (FBS) is commonly used as a supplement in cell culture media, but its use presents significant ethical and scientific challenges. Read more about our work to replace FBS and other animal components in cell culture.
- Antibodies, which are usually derived from animals but can be replaced with animal-free versions that can improve research quality: Read more about our work to promote the use of animal-free recombinant antibodies.
- Antitoxins, which are antibodies that neutralise specific toxins: The Science Consortium funds the creation of animal-free antitoxins to replace the traditional development method in which horses are hyperimmunised and bled. Read more about our work to develop animal-free antitoxins.