Dr Giuseppe Ercoli awarded first UCL 3Rs Prize

The UCL 3Rs Group is delighted to announce that the winner of the inaugural Adrian Deeny Award for Implementation of the 3Rs in Research is

ucl.ac.uk/iris/browse/profile?upi=GERCO32" target="_self">Dr Giuseppe Ercoli. 

Dr Ercoli won the annual award for the development of an innovative ex vivo perfusion model of infection. This model utilises pig spleens from animals slaughtered for food production and uses techniques developed for organs transplantation to create a perfusion system to study the clearance of infections from the blood and their effect on organ architecture. This model not only utilises an ethical source of animal organs that would otherwise be treated as a waste product of the slaughter process, but also provides an alternative to the rodent models that have been used to study pneumococcal infections. Data collected using this ex vivo model may also have enhanced translational value because of the greater similarities between human and porcine immune systems and spleen architecture when compared with that of rodents.

Former Director of Biological Services, and namesake of the award, Adrian Deeny commented: "Dr Ercoli's work truly reflects the spirit of the 3Rs, and shows how imaginative approaches can benefit science and animals. He is a worthy winner of the inaugural award."

The 3Rs Group would also like to take this opportunity to thank all those who submitted abstracts for consideration. It is clear that there are many individuals actively working to implement the 3Rs (to replace, reduce and refine animal use) through the animal's housing, husbandry and care, as well as during experimental periods at UCL.

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