NAT Database on non-animal technologies
The NAT database is a unique tool currently containing 250 entries on animal-free methods and will continuously be updated. The NAT database is freely available at www.nat-database.org in English or German. With the help of this database everyone can obtain information on innovative research technologies not harming animals for science.
Animal-free research has been incredibly accelerating in the past decade. New non-animal methods are published worldwide every day, thus, it is not possible to keep the overview. Our NAT database (Non-Animal Technologies) gives an overview about animal-free research technologies that are developed all over the world. The entries contain a short abstract of the respective technology as well as information on contact persons including affiliations and references such as peer-reviewed publications or press releases from universities and research institutes. Commercially available technologies and research models such as microphysiological systems or advanced human cell culture models are also included.
In order to achieve a paradigm shift towards animal-free research it is extremely important to support innovative non-animal methods by increased funding. Many people still think that animal experiments are indispensable; however, increasing scientific evidence suggests that this is not the case. The NAT database is supposed to inform scientists, regulators and politicians as well as the general public about the power and the advantages of non-animal technologies. Users can run a full text search or use different filter options such as research areas (e.g. oncology, toxicology or drug development) or research models (e.g. organ-on-a-chip, 3D bioprinting or computer models). The NAT database also enables a specific search for validated methods, which are additionally labelled in case of regulatory acceptance for safety testing by ECVAM (European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods) or the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development).
The NAT database is freely available for everyone and the entries are free for download and sharing. DAAE believes that convincing the international scientific community about the validity of non-animal methods is a crucial step for successfully phasing out animal experiments.
