Explore Answers to the Top 7 FAQs about Digital Platform for Sharing Animals and Biological Materials
1. What is PicoTeam’s digital platform for sharing animals and biological materials?
PicoTeam’s platform is a web-based solution designed to facilitate the sharing of surplus laboratory animals and biological materials between research facilities. It connects those who have surplus resources with those who need them, ensuring ethical and efficient use of animals and materials.
2. How does the platform work?
The platform provides an easy-to-use interface where users can search for and share surplus animals and biological materials. It allows users to filter resources by species, age, and other criteria, contact providers directly, and manage the transfer through a built-in messaging system. The platform simplifies listing and updating available materials, ensuring smooth and efficient exchanges.
3. Can the platform be used between different organizations?
Yes, the platform is designed to enable sharing of resources both within a single organization and between different institutions. This fosters collaboration and ensures that valuable animals and biological materials are fully utilized, helping to reduce duplication of effort and optimize resource use across the scientific community.
4. What types of animals and biological materials can be shared on the platform?
The platform supports sharing various laboratory animals, tissues, organs, fluids and other by-products. It also offers access to rare or specialized animals, benefiting smaller facilities by providing resources they might not otherwise have.
5. How does the platform support ethical research ?
The platform supports the 3R principles—Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement—by allowing the reuse of animals and biological materials. This minimizes the number of animals used in experiments, reducing waste while aligning with EU Directive 2010/63 on animal welfare.
6. How does the platform improve research efficiency?
By streamlining access to surplus animals and materials, the platform saves time and reduces costs related to animal acquisition. Users can also access ready-to-use animals that have already been trained or acclimated, speeding up project initiation and allowing them to focus more on their scientific work.
7. What are the overall benefits of using PicoTeam’s digital platform?
PicoTeam’s digital platform supports ethical research by reducing animal use and offering access to rare and specialized animals. It enhances transparency by making surplus resources easily accessible, encouraging collaboration among researchers, and helping to reduce the duplication of work across institutions.