6R in Organ Model Research

The QUEST Center is a partner in the Einstein Center 3R Berlin and leads the "6R cross-sectional project", with the goal to extend the 3R focus (Replace, Reduce, Refine) by additional 3Rs: Robustness, Registration, Reporting.

You can find further information about EC3R here.

Objectives

Our goal is to increase the robustness of 3D organ models in EC3R projects, to achieve reproducible results, and to enable the transferability and dissemination of these alternative model systems in close collaboration with EC3R experts.

Methodology

Together with researchers at EC3R, we investigate the validity of the developed organ models in the research projects.

We support the research groups by advocating for a detailed documentation of the experimental procedures, thus increasing transparency in the research field and the reproducibility of the model systems. Here, the external validity and adaptability of organ models should be demonstrated by their implementation in partner laboratories. Additionally, we accompany various transfer processes and dissemination strategies of human organ models from the EC3R laboratories into the Berlin research landscape and beyond.

Expected results / Implications / Perspectives

The development and application of the 6R principles in organ model research will increase transparency in this innovative research field, and will provide measures towards robust and reproducible models and results. We will make our findings available to the research community to further advance the broad acceptance of organ model systems as innovative disease models and alternatives to selected animal models.

Systematic reviews are a recognized method in clinical research to generate evidence-based knowledge and inform future research. This comprehensive and objective summary of published studies and their assessment has not been established for exploratory in vitro research yet. At the QUEST Center we are working with the CAMARADES Berlin team on several pilot projects to adapt the methodology of a systematic review to biomedical in vitro research.

Objectives

Our team is leading several systematic reviews to evaluate the current state of research and the application of alternative models in biomedical research. These evidence-based compilations can inform further research questions and enable researchers to define quality and documentation standards.

Methodology

We are conducting various systematic reviews assessing the literature around alternative model systems.

Currently, we are conducting a large-scale systematic review representing the impact of human organ models on COVID-19 research together with a team of 35 organ model researchers from EC3R and from all over Germany. In this review, experimental, quantitative and qualitative information will be extracted and analysed from the published literature (you can find the pre-registration of this systematic review here).

In another systematic review, we are focusing on the technical advances and reporting quality around bioprinted liver models (for pre-registration of this systematic review, please see here).

Expected results / Implications / Perspectives

In collaboration with the CAMARADES Berlin team, we are establishing new methodological strategies for conducting systematic reviews in biomedical in vitro research. Especially for the fast-moving research field around organ model development, systematic reviews are a promising measure to comprehensively demonstrate the impact and potential of alternative models.

The ongoing systematic review on the role of human organ models in COVID-19 research will highlight which models, assays and results were delivered, and how the quality of the published data can be assessed.