Animal welfare and advanced animal facilities
At CIPHE, animal welfare and ethical research are fundamental to our mission. As a leading center for preclinical research, we not only develop advanced in vivo models but also provide comprehensive support for researchers hosting their own mouse strains within our facility. Our state-of-the-art animal facility, operating under a centralized SOPF (Specific and Opportunistic Pathogen-Free) status, ensures the highest standards of biosafety and research quality.
CIPHE offers end-to-end services, including line management, breeding strategies, and handling the administrative complexities of import/export procedures. By leveraging our extensive expertise in regulatory compliance and colony management, we streamline logistics, allowing researchers to focus entirely on their scientific work. Our approach guarantees both scientific excellence and strict adherence to international animal welfare standards.
Commitment to the 3Rs principle
CIPHE strictly follows the 3Rs principle (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement), which guides ethical animal research worldwide:
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Replacement: We actively develop and implement alternative methods, including in vitro models and computational approaches, to reduce reliance on animal studies where possible.
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Reduction: By optimizing study designs and employing advanced statistical models, we minimize the number of animals used while ensuring statistically significant results.
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Refinement: Our animal care protocols prioritize human handling, advanced anesthesia and analgesia techniques, and enriched living conditions to minimize stress and discomfort.
State-of-the-art animal facilities
CIPHE’s 1,600m² semi-robotized animal facility meets the highest health and ethical standards:
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SOPF-certified (Specific and Opportunistic Pathogen-Free) since 2014.
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Strict health monitoring protocols to ensure optimal well-being.
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Dedicated areas for housing, experimentation, cryopreservation and derivation.
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Automated animal care technologies to reduce stress and improve welfare.
Ethical oversight and training
All animal research conducted at CIPHE is reviewed and approved by an Internal Animal Welfare and Ethics Committee (SBEA) and submitted to the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research for project authorization. Additionally, our researchers and animal care staff undergo continuous training in ethics, welfare, and the latest refinements in animal handling.
International collaboration for ethical advancements
As part of national and international consortia, including PHENOMIN, IMPC, and Infrafrontier, CIPHE actively contributes to the development of standardized and ethically responsible preclinical research methodologies. Our collaboration with global experts ensures that we remain at the forefront of ethical innovation in biomedical research.
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