IDMIT has a unique expertise in the development of pre-clinical animal models in relation to infectious diseases that affect Humans. This expertise is found within the laboratory "Animal Sciences and Animal Welfare" (ASW) specialized in Non-Human Primates (NHPs) which are very close to humans and therefore constitute very predictive animal models of what will be observed in humans in clinical trials.

Surgery room - leukopheresis experiment: extracorporeal 
circulation to isolate leukocytes from blood. © CEA/Idmit

However, animal experimentation within IDMIT is very framed, then our Department recognizes the importance of 3Rs principle (reduction, refinement, replacement) and limits accordingly the number of experimental animals required for its programs of research. The research is of course responsibly conducted within the framework of the French legislation on animal experimentation and in accordance with the relevant European directives.

The IDMIT Department also promotes research programs aimed at refining the use of animals and reducing the number of animals required for preclinical experimental research. Towards validation of alternatives to animal experiments, IDMIT develops new programs for standardization and harmonization of dosages, non-invasive methods (telemetry, in vivo imaging), animal training and in silico modeling, as well as programs to improve the welfare of captive animals. IDMIT has its own ethics committee, whose mission is to give its opinion on any experimental project involving vertebrate animals. It analyses the scientific objective of the animal experimentation phases of any project and decides on the ethical acceptability of the choice of animal model linked to the proposed experimental protocol and the methodology. The IDMIT ethics committee is directly linked to the ethics committee of the Fundamental Research Division of the CEA (CEA/DRF).