Algae OR fungus OR hydra OR plant
Animal alternatives OR alternative
Artificial
Artificial intelligence OR AI
Bacteria OR microorganism OR protozoan OR single-celled organism
Cadaver OR autopsy
Cell OR cell line OR cellular
Computer aided instruction OR computer assisted instruction OR CAI
Culture AND (cell OR tissue OR organ)
Digital imaging
Fish OR cephalopod
Insect OR invertebrate
Isolated AND (cell OR tissue OR organ)
Mannequin OR manikin
Membrane OR organ OR organelle OR slice OR tissue
(Model OR modelling OR modeling) AND (animal OR cadaveric OR interactive OR mathematical
OR statistical OR theoretical)
Plastination
Replacement OR surrogate
Simulation
Software
Three-dimensional OR 3D OR 3-D AND (image OR images OR imaging)
Train OR educate OR teach OR instruct
Video
Virtual AND (surgery OR reality)
Vitro AND (method OR model OR technique)
"Non-animal models, also known as new approach methodologies, (NAMs) are becoming increasingly popular in research. The Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM) defines NAMs as, "as a broadly descriptive reference to any non-animal technology, methodology, approach, or combination thereof that can be used to provide information on chemical hazard and risk assessment" (ICCVAM, 2018). In short, NAMs are defined as research models that replace the use of animals. The AVIS search strategies group has created non-animal model search hedges to help you search for alternatives. Access the hedges in the attached document." - AVIS Search Strategies Working Group.
The AVIS Search Strategies Working Group has created a document that includes search hedges for four types of NAMs found in the literature. Below are the provided definitions for these categories. Download all of these hedges in the document at the bottom of the page.
1. General Non-animal Model hedge: This hedge includes general terms for in vitro (cell cultures), in silico (computer-based), in chemico (chemically-based), and ex vivo methods (cadavers and non-living tissue). This hedge retrieves general articles on using NAMs to replace animals in research, testing, and teaching.
2. Microphysiological Systems hedge: Identifies literature on methodologies include organoids, organ-on-a-chip devices, (Saorin et al, 2023) and 3D bioprinting. Reyes et al (2024) define Microphysiological systems as, "… engineered microdevices (containing human cells and tissues) that are designed to mimic certain organ structure(s) and function(s) in vitro”. Thus, they can be used to study function and disease or reproduce and monitor organ reactions after exposure to compounds." The Microphysiological Systems Hedge retrieves citations on in vitro methods which involved three-dimensional cell cultures with a circulating medium which simulates an organ or multi-organ systems.
3. NAMs in Toxicology and Drug Development hedge: Includes keywords for a wide range of in silico, in vitro, and in chemico methods of testing chemical compounds and new drugs without animals. NAMs-based studies provide information for chemical hazard and risk assessment and support regulatory decision making.
4. Education and Training hedge: Includes keywords for non-animal methods of training students in medical, veterinary, nursing, trauma, surgical, and pharmacy education, such as using manikins, virtual reality, and simulators (Balcolme, 2004). The Education and Training hedge retrieves citations on teaching medical, veterinary, surgical, military and trauma, nursing, dental, and pharmacy education to students without using live animals. Methods include using manikins and simulators, plastination, virtual reality, and human and animal cadavers or tissues.
AVIS Search Strategies Working Group. 2024. Non-Animal Model Search Hedges. AVIS Search Strategies Working Group Hedges. Open Science Foundation. DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/JY2HB. https://osf.io/jy2hb/
There are two well-accepted alternative animal models for Cryptococcosis.
1)The wax moth serves as a non-vertebrate animal model for studying general disease burden. This model was adopted in part because of its ability to correlate fungal burden with survival and disease progression was dependent on classic virulence traits (capsule, melanin formation, and thermotolerance). Our virulence studies focus on CO2 tolerance and the lung environment which cannot be modeled with wax moth larvae. The wax moth model is also ineffective at modeling mammalian pharmacokinetics and dynamics for our drug studies.
2) The zebrafish model of Cryptococcosis was also developed for its ability to mimic disease burden and dependence on classic virulence traits. It also provided a way to image fungal burden distribution using confocal microscopy. However, advantages of this model do not overlap with the research questions of the proposed studies and fail to model disease for the same reasons the wax moth model does not serve our needs.
Citations:
https://journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.1128/iai.73.7.3842-3850.2005
https://journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.1128/iai.00506-16
https://journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.1128/msphere.00504-23