saatsl

The Society for Alternatives to Animal Testing in Sri Lanka (SAAT-SL) was established in February 2021. When COVID-19 pandemic did not facilitate face-to-face meetings, an online session was conducted with a group of international scientists in the fore front of alternatives journey – Professor Thomas Hartung of Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT), Dr Hajime Kojima of Japanese Center for the Validation of Alternative Methods (JaCVAM), Dr Francois Busquet of Altertox Academy, Dr Christian Pellevoisin of MatTeck and Professor Y. K. Gupta and Emeritus Professor M. A. Akbarsha of Society for Alternatives to Animal Experiments in India (SAAE-SL) together with several Sri Lankan researchers. Professor Mangala Gunatilake was appointed as the Founding President of SAAT-SL for 2-years as per the SAAT-SL Constitution. The main objectives of the SAAT-SL are to promote adoption of ‘Replacement’ concept (Alternatives to animal experiments) of the 3Rs principle of laboratory animal science (LAS) in education, research and testing in order to reduce the number of laboratory animals used for research and testing (Reduction) and to reduce suffering of animals (Refinement) which will lead to improve animal welfare and humane care of animals, to liaise with all the stakeholders at National level and societies at International level in relation to promotion of Alternatives to Animal Experiments and Animal Welfare, to work in collaboration with the Universities, Institutes, Industry, etc., to bring about newer alternative methods, to arrange scientific meetings/workshops/discussions amongst the stakeholders of Alternatives to Animal Experiments, to publish Journals/Bulletins/Newsletters, etc., with a view to popularize the concept of Alternatives to Animal Experiments, to provide / organize courses / training in the different versions of alternatives viz., digital, virtual, in-vitro, in-silico, alternative model organisms, integrated testing strategies (ITS), etc., so as to help human resource development in different domains of alternatives in Sri Lanka.