The Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing is an academic center affiliated with the Division of Toxicological Sciences in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences of the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.
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TestSmart HPV
April 26-27, 1999
Hyatt Fair Lakes
12777 Fair Lakes Circle
Fairfax, VA 22033
A workshop of The Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing
TestSmart is a program of the Vision 20/20 forum
This workshop is partially funded through a grant by the Vira I. Heinz Endowment
Abstract for TestSmart--A Humane and Efficient Approach to Screening Information Data Sets (SIDS) Data
Non-Invasive and Monitoring Techniques
Martin Stephens
Humane Society of the United States
Non-Invasive Techniques
- Telemetry
- Biolumenescent markers
- Neurobehavioural Screening Battery
- Urinary Biomarkers
- Reduction
- Refinement
Common Issues
- Animal serves as own control (Reduction)
- High sensitivity
- lower dose (Refinement)
- better data
- Obtain results with less pain and distress (Refinement)
- High data quality
- Safe harbor
- Help to identify early/humane endpoints
- Part of "thoughtful toxicology"
Recommendations
- Run Parallel Studies -- Telemetry vs Traditional
- Utilize Sensitivity to Develop Protocols with Less Stress/Pain
- Alter Endpoints
- Use Animals on Repeat Studies or as Their Own Control
Recommendations PR CONTAG, Xenogen Corporation
Goals: Higher quality data, improve statistical analysis, models with clear relevance, protocols free of pain and stress in fewer animals.
- Validate toxicity markers (e.g. gene expression) against known compounds to quantitate standard responses.
- Validate early markers to reduce stress.
- Use non-invasive techniques for repeat measurements in the same animal to improve statistics and thus reduce the number of animals.
In order to reduce and refine, we must quantitate, validate, and standardize.
Neurobehavioural Testing
- Senstitive indicator of neurological effects as well as general health.
- Non-invasive, non-stressful approach for collecting a wealth of data from every subject.
- Promote routine use of, at a minimum, "expanded clinical observations" in standard toxicity as well as developmental and reproductive studies.
Recommendations
- Promote the incorporation of routine urinalysis into relevant chemical testing guidelines.
- Establish an on-going data bank on
- Urine collection techniques Test procedures
- Reference values
- Urinary biomarkers screening information
- Promote the routine use of existing urinary tests for toxicity screening.
- Support continued studies on new urinary biomarkers (e.g. for neoplasia, neurotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, cardiovascular effects, pulmonary toxicity, oxidative stress, inflammation, pain and discomfort).
- Explore the potential of broad spectrum, fully automated urinalysis techniques (e.g. NMR).