This webinar series (was co-organized by the US National Toxicology Program Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological Methods (NICEATM), the PETA International Science Consortium Ltd (PISC)., and the European Union Reference Laboratory for alternatives to animal testing (EURL ECVAM). The series features experts in the development and use of animal free antibodies and recombinant antibodies derived from animal origin.
Webinar 1: Animal-free antibodies against diseases: Rapid response to fight Covid-19 (View recording here.)
Date: 23 July 2020
- Dr. Stefan Dübel (Technische Universität Braunschweig) describes his work developing fully human antibodies against infections, such as Covid-19 and diphtheria. (View slides here.)
- Dr. Sachdev Sidhu (Toronto Recombinant Antibody Centre) describes his successes at the Toronto Recombinant Antibody Centre, particularly related to developing non-animal antibodies against the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. (View slides here.)
Webinar 2: Scientific and economic benefits of animal-free antibodies (View recording here.)
Date: 16 September 2020
- Dr. Alison Gray (Afability) provides an overview of the scientific benefits of using animal friendly affinity reagents (AFAs) as replacements for animal-derived antibodies. She discusses how they are developed, how they follow the same mechanistic principles evolved by nature, and the challenges that have slowed their replacement. (View slides here.)
- Dr. João Barroso (EURL ECVAM) shares a summary of the findings from a 2018 EURL ECVAM Scientific Advisory Committee (ESAC) meeting that reviewed the validity and benefits of using animal-free technology to produce affinity reagents and the subsequent EURL ECVAM recommendation. (View slides here.)
Webinar 3: Application of animal-free antibodies (View recording here.)
Date: 15 October 2020
- Dr. Giulio Russo (Abcalis) discusses the replacement of animal serum-derived secondary antibodies with animal-free multiclonal antibodies. (View slides here.)
- Dr. Charu Chandrasekera (Canadian Centre for Alternatives to Animal Methods) provides a look at her experience replacing animal-derived affinity reagents in the laboratory. (View slides here.)
Webinar 4: Accessibility of recombinant antibodies
Date: 12 November 2020
Time: 4:00–5:00 pm CEST (10:00–11:00 am EDT)
Register here: attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8377135520110180110
- Dr. Pierre Cosson (University of Geneva) will describe the work of the Geneva Antibody Facility and the antibody discovery and production services that they offer to the scientific community.
- Dr. Michael Fiebig (Absolute Antibody) will provide insight on Absolute Antibody’s services sequencing existing hybridoma and ascites-derived antibodies to make them recombinantly.
Details on additional webinars will be announced at a later date.
This webinar series was planned in coordination with Dr Charu Chandrasekera (Canadian Centre for Alternatives to Animal Methods), Dr Stefan Dübel (Technische Universität Braunschweig), Dr Alison Gray (Afability), and Kristie Sullivan (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine).
