Advancing Science and Ethics: Experimental Design Workshop
Published: 1 March 2025
In March 2025, the AWERB Culture of Care Committee hosted "Smart Experimental Design: Stronger Conclusions, Fewer Animals" at the University of Glasgow. This in-person workshop brought together researchers and experts from Glasgow, Bayreuth, and the NC3Rs to discuss study robustness and animal welfare. The event’s success, marked by high engagement and positive feedback, has paved the way for expanded experimental design programming in the future.
Good experimental design underpins high-quality, reproducible science and is central to the ethical use of animals in research. By equipping researchers with the skills and tools to design robust studies, we can reduce unnecessary animal use, improve data quality and strengthen funding applications.
In March 2025, the AWERB Culture of Care Committee delivered the Smart Experimental Design: Stronger Conclusions, Fewer Animals workshop at the University of Glasgow. The in-person event brought together researchers at different career stages to explore how thoughtful experimental design can improve scientific robustness while minimising animal use.
The workshop featured a diverse line-up of speakers from the University of Glasgow, Biological Services, the University of Bayreuth and the NC3Rs. Talks covered key aspects of experimental design, including power analysis, behavioural measurement, ageing models, animal welfare considerations and the use of practical tools such as the NC3Rs Experimental Design Assistant. Together, the sessions provided attendees with both strategic insight and practical guidance that we hope can be applied directly to their own work.
Feedback from participants was very positive, with attendees valuing the breadth of topics and expertise represented. There was clear appetite for more time for discussion and deeper exploration, highlighting strong engagement and demand for further events of this kind. The success of the workshop has helped shape plans for an expanded experimental design event in the future.
First published: 1 March 2025