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Inventory of the Spanish Institutions and Scientists Involved in Alternatives to the use of Laboratory Animals (Refinement, Reduction or Replacement)+

Inventory: 18j. Inventory of Institutions

Type of Institution: University

Staff:

Marta Saloña Bordas, Email: ggpsabom@lg.ehu.es, Dr Biología, Profesora, 20 % time devoted to altern. meth., duties related to altern. meth.: Responsable curso Doctorando, Coord. Zoología 1º

Total staff involved in alternative methods is 1 person.

Activities / aims: This university department is mainly involved in basic research and animals alternatives in education; it performs animal (without experimentation) biology and alternative education models on a routine basis.

Model systems: The model systems used are conventional animal models and invertebrates (arthropods, molluscs, annelid, corrodes), and education models (plastic models, fixed specimens), documentation, photographs and anatomical models.

Work lines: Soil biology / Oribatocenosis: taxonomy, population dynamics, influence on soil structure and processes. Continental waters, oceanic and estuarine systems and bat populations are studied by other department research groups, focused mainly on biogeography, stress and other environmental disturbances, taxonomy and population dynamics.

Quality assurance / Validation programmes: The team are available to participate in EU validation programmes, in relation to alternative methods development in education

Type of Institution: University

Staff:

Mª Carmen Riva Juan, Email: riva@iitcit.upc.es, Dr Ciencias Biológicas, Investigador. Jefe de Laboratorio, 25 % time devoted to altern. meth.
David López Ribas, Email: toxicologia@rackham.upc.es, Ld Ciencias Biológicas, 30 % time devoted to altern. meth.

Total staff involved in alternative methods is 2 people.

Activities / aims: This university department is mainly involved in non-regulated applied research, regulatory testing and animals alternatives in education; it performs toxicology (ecotoxicity), monitoring -chemical, biological- and quality control studies on a routine basis, and toxicology (basal cytotoxicity, acute systemic toxicity, ocular cytotoxicity, dermal irritation and corrosivity, hepatotoxicity, chronic toxicity) studies at a research level. Diverse chemical compounds, pesticides, toxins, biomaterials, food additives, colourings, environmental pollutants and wastes are occasionally evaluated.

The main use of alternative methods is for screening.

Model systems: The model systems used are in vitro methods -- primary culture of dispersed cells and cell lines culture (L-929 mouse), RTG-2O (Onconhychus mykiss)

The endpoint employed in vitro is cell viability.

Experimental systems (examples):

1 RTG-2 Onconhychus mykiss, neutral red uptake, total protein content, cytotoxicity, screening
2 L-929 (mouse), cell proliferation, total protein content, cytotoxicity, screening

Work lines: Ecotoxicity, xenobiotic assessment, physiological and histopathological effects. Effects of environmental pollutants on the health of human and aquatic organisms. Bioaccumulation studies. In vivo and in vitro toxicity tests.

Quality assurance / Validation programmes: The institution applies Good Laboratory Practices rules according to in-phase of accreditation of 45001. The team are available to participate in EU validation programmes.

Sources of financing: Projects CICYT, MINER, CIRIT, etc.. Contracts with industries related to environmental studies.

Type of Institution: University

Staff:

Jordi Mallol Mirón, Email: jmm@fmcs.urv.es, Dr Medicina y Cirugía, Catedrático Universidad, 50 % time devoted to altern. meth., duties related to altern. meth.: Director de Proyectos
Jose Luis Paternain Suberviola, Email: jlps@fmcs.urv.es, Dr Biología, Titular Universidad, 75 % time devoted to altern. meth., duties related to altern. meth.: Director de Proyectos
Montserrat Giralt Batista, Email: mgb@fmcs.urv.es, Dr Medicina y Cirugía, Titular Universidad, 40 % time devoted to altern. meth., duties related to altern. meth.: Desarrollo de Métodos
Maria Rosa Nogues Llort, Email: rnll@fmcs.urv.es, Dr Farmacia, Titular Universidad Interino, 50 % time devoted to altern. meth., duties related to altern. meth.: Desarrollo de Métodos
Jaume Folch López, Email: jfl@fmcs.urv.es, Dr Biología, Titular Universidad Interino, 75 % time devoted to altern. meth., duties related to altern. meth.: Desarrollo de Métodos
Maria Cabré Bargalló, Email: mc@fmcs.urv.es, Ld Biología, Profesor Ayudante, 75 % time devoted to altern. meth., duties related to altern. meth.: Desarrollo de Métodos
Anna Torres Domingo, Email: atd@fmcs.urv.es, Ld Farmacia, Becaria URV, 100 % time devoted to altern. meth., duties related to altern. meth.: Desarrollo de Métodos

Total staff involved in alternative methods is 7 people.

Activities / aims: This university department is mainly involved in basic research, regulatory testing, method development, method validation and alternatives to animals in education; it performs cell biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology (basal cytotoxicity, dermal irritation and corrosivity, phototoxicity, hepatotoxicity) and monitoring --chemical, biological- studies on a routine basis. Cosmetics, environmental pollutants and physical agents are routinely evaluated; diverse chemical compounds and toxins also being occasionally studied.

The main use of alternative methods is for screening and replacement studies.

Model systems: The model systems used are conventional animal models (rats reduction) and transgenics (nude rodents), embryos (chick and rat embryo), in vitro methods - primary culture of dispersed cells (chick embryo fibroblasts, human kera rat hepatocytes), cell lines culture and cell-free systems- BECAM.

The endpoints employed are in vivo (GSH/GSSG, GST, GSHPx, GRed, SOD, CAT, TBARS, induced haemolysis), and in vitro cell viability (neutral red uptake, MTT reduction, Hoechst 33342), cytoskeleton / membranes / enzyme release (LDH), cellular proliferation (neutral red uptake, Hoechst 33342, propidium iodide, area measurement), metabolic activity (MTT reduction), cell signalling (quimioluminescence), biotransformation systems (CYP-450), defence systems (GST, GSH, SOD, metalothioneines), and organ-specific indicators (GOT, ALT), BECAM.

Experimental systems (examples):

1 chick embryo fibroblasts, neutral red, MTT reduction, Hoescht 33342, cell viability, replacement test
2 keratinocytes, MTT reduction, metabolic activation, screening and replacement test
3 human erythrocytes, haemolysis, free radical protection, replacement and complementary test
4 rat hepatocytes, LDH, RT-PCR, cellular response to stress, replacement test
5 transgenic line of fibroblasts, neutral red uptake, RT-PCR, toxicity of antineoplasics, replacement test
6 rat embryo, morphology and development, DNA, proteins, embryotoxicity for cadmium, replacement test

Work lines: Monitoring oxygen free-radical (OFR) production and protective systems in human blood.Testing cytotoxicity for cosmetic ingredients. Evaluation of the sun protection factor by in vitro and alternative techniques. Biology and cellular response against stress in rat hepatocytes: -studies in hepatocyte culture of the toxicity of several metals and organic compounds, --cellular response and genetic expression of hepatocytes exposed to toxins, -- in vitro studies of hepatocyte protector action, --studies of semichronic toxicity in co-cultures of hepatocytes and epithelial cells (1-2 weeks), --studies of cellular response to inflammation. Co-cultures of hepatocytes and macrophages. Drug resistance to chemotherapics: studies of toxicity of chemotherapics in transfected cells with over, and under-expression of metallothioneine, cellular response and genetic expression from transfected cells to chemotherapics, induction to drug resistance to chemotherapics by coadyuvant therapy, and studies of resistance mechanisms.

Quality assurance / Validation programmes: The institution applies Good Laboratory Practices rules according to OECD. The team are available to participate in EU validation programmes in relation to cell culture, erythrocytes, lymphocytes and macrophages.

Sources of financing: FISS: 93/322. Estudio del perfil glutatión S-transferasa en piel humana, normal y tumoral. Generalitat de Catalunya 1995SGR/339. Infraestructura para laboratorio de Farmacobiología cellular y desarrollo de métodos alternativos. NOVARTIS C.H. Fundacion Bosch i Gimpera: contratos de investigación para valorar productos cosméticos, mediante técnicas alternativas, entre otras. Generalitat de Catalunya: PIR98, infraestructura para laboratorio de Farmacobiología cellular.

Type of Institution: University

Staff:

Jose Manuel Pozuelo Gonzalez, Email: jpozuelo@ceu.es, Dr CC Biológicas, Prof. Adjunto, 30 % time devoted to altern. meth.

Total staff involved in alternative methods is 1 person.

Activities / aims: This university department is mainly involved in basic research and non-regulated applied research; it performs pharmacodynamics and toxicology testing on a routine basis, and toxicology (mechanisms of toxicity, genotoxicity / mutagenicity, ecotoxicity) studies at a research level. Vegetable products are routinely evaluated; pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and environmental pollutants also being occasionally studied.

The main use of alternative methods is for screening.

Model systems: The model systems used are in vitro methods -- cell lines culture (CHO, HEPG2)

The endpoints employed are in vitro cell viability

Experimental systems (examples):

1 CHO cell line, neutral red uptake and MTT reduction, cytotoxicity, screening

Work lines: The study of cytotoxic effects of natural products (plants extracts) and antineoplastic agents with different endpoints.

Quality assurance / Validation programmes: A Quality Assurance Unit is operating inside the facility. The team are available to participate in EU validation programmes.

Sources of financing: Universidad San Pablo-CEU

Type of Institution: University

Staff:

Carmen Pérez García, Email: capegar@ceu.es, Ld Farmacia, Profesora de Toxicología, 5 % time devoted to altern. meth.
Lidia Morales Goyanes, Email: lmorgoy@ceu.es, Ld Ciencias Biológicas, Profesora de Farmacología, 1 % time devoted to altern. meth.
Luis Fernando Alguacil Merino, Email: laguacil@ceu.es, Dr CC Biológicas, Profesor Agregado de Farmacología.

Total staff involved in alternative methods is 3 people.

Activities / aims: This university department is mainly involved in basic research; it performs pharmacodynamics and toxicology testing on a routine basis and toxicology studies at a research level. Pharmaceuticals are routinely evaluated.

The main use of alternative methods is for screening.

Model systems: The model systems used are conventional animal models.

Quality assurance / Validation programmes: A Quality Assurance Unit is operating inside the facility. The institution applies Good Laboratory Practices rules according to the EU. The team are available to participate in EU validation programmes. 

Fuente / Source: Guillermo Repetto, Ana del Peso, Manuel Salguero, Manuel Repetto (1999) Inventory of the Spanish Institutions and Scientists Involved in Alternatives to the use of Laboratory Animals (Refinement, Reduction or Replacement) Revista de Toxicología 16: 50-127.