According to the American Institute for In Vitro Sciences (IIVS) in Gaithersburg, the Chinese Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) accepts for the first time in China data obtained using animal-free methods. Soon they will be recognize the non-animal test methods for the safety evaluation of cosmetics.

A researcher team from Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and Egypt has received this year's Global 3R Award for their organ-on-a-chip approach. The prize is donated by the "Consortium for Innovation and Quality in Pharmaceutical Development" (IQ) and the "Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International "(AAALAC).

Now MIT researchers have developed an imaging technique that, for the first time, enables three-dimensional mapping of serotonin as it's reabsorbed into neurons, across multiple regions of the living brain. This technique, the researchers say, gives an unprecedented view of serotonin dynamics, and could be a powerful tool for the research and development of antidepressants.

The new Animal Replacement Centre (ARC) is a joint venture between the Blizard Institute at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) and the Dr Hadwen Trust (DHT). The ARC will help provide a unique environment where a team of scientists will work together with the common goal to develop, validate and apply human-based models of disease.