A new multidisciplinary centre will harness expertise and innovation from across King's to drive forward the '3Rs' relating to the use of animals in research: Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement.
The new centre will put King's at the heart of delivering the 3Rs, which are a strategic government and societal priority, and support the translation of research into real-world impact.
A community of academics, technicians and industry partners from both within and outside King's will share knowledge and best practice via the centre. Together, they will work across the full scope of the 3Rs, including continuously refining the welfare and use of animals in science, reducing reliance on them via innovative research methods, and achieving full replacement for many uses of animals through advanced non-animal models and use of human‑based tissues.
The centre will support specialised training on state-of-the-art techniques, including human-based tissues grown from stem cells and patient-derived models. It will also foster networking across faculties and expand education on these practices to provide a framework to facilitate new collaborations and access to resources. The multidisciplinary approach will ensure that the innovative work King's is doing in this field has maximum impact.
Scientists at King's are already pioneering new ways to enable the replacement, reduction and refinement of the use of animals in research across a wide range of disease and therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular and respiratory disease, cancer, liver disease, dermatology, neuroscience and more.
Across King's, researchers are using organoids - mini, 3D models of human tissue and organs grown from stem cells - and organ-on-a-chip models that more closely reflect human biology to investigate disease and test the efficacy and safety of new therapies.
Some examples of existing King's work in the 3Rs include Professor Deepak Srivastava's successful scaling up of the organoid approach, leading research into a new system where the effects of drugs, genetic mutations, and development can be tested at higher throughput and over much longer periods of time.
King's strong track record in delivering the 3Rs is also evident through Dr Alessio Vagnoni's work using fruit flies as a replacement for zebrafish and mouse models, pioneering non-invasive methodologies in Drosophila for the study of his research question on aging and neurodegeneration. Dr Vagnoni was awarded the Europe, Africa, Middle East Region award by AAALAC International at the Global 3Rs awards 2025 for his approach.
By connecting and amplifying this breadth of activity, the centre will make King's strengths visible and accessible to partners across the research sector. In doing so, the network will support drug discovery and development, disease understanding, and clinical decision-making.
Professor Sir Bashir Al-Hashimi, Vice President (Research and Innovation), King's College London, said: "The launch of the Centre for 3Rs and Translational Innovation represents a significant milestone for King's and for the wider UK research landscape. As the first centre of its kind in the UK, the Centre for 3Rs & Translational Innovation brings together expertise in animal models, human‑relevant systems, and clinical research within a single, coordinated framework."
"Biomedical research is changing fast, and so must the way we turn discovery into impact. This Centre will catalyse next-generation human-relevant science through the 3Rs, driving the translation of research into real-world impact."
Dr Luigi Margiotta-Casaluci, Co-Director of the Centre for 3Rs & Translational Innovation, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine
Dr Julie Keeble, Co-Director of the Centre for 3Rs & Translational Innovation and Director of Biological Services, added: "The Centre for 3Rs & Translational Innovation reflects the exceptional breadth of expertise we have at King's, bringing together world-leading strengths not only across the health and life sciences, but also in disciplines such as policy, law and mathematics. By connecting all perspectives, we are uniquely positioned to drive innovation and impact in translational research."
Dr Vicky Robinson, Chief Executive of the NC3Rs - a national organisation committed to the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research - said: "The launch of the Centre for 3Rs and Translational Innovation at King's College London is an exciting development that is very timely given the Government's priorities in this area. King's College London has a strong track record on the 3Rs and I am pleased to see it is expanding on this with the new Centre's focus on building a community to share infrastructure and best practice and facilitate training."
The King's Centre for 3Rs & Translational Innovation was officially launched at an event on 14 May, attended by Dr Sally Robinson (Head of Animals in Science Committee), Wendy Jarrett (CEO, Understanding Animal Research), Dr Penny Hawkins (Head of Animals in Science Department, RSPCA), representatives of the NC3Rs and the Animals in Science Regulation Unit (Home Office).
