“What we need is a paradigm shift”

Personalized treatments

Tamara approaches the transition mostly from a logical point of view. While ethical concerns over animal testing are an obvious driver, her focus is firmly scientific. “It’s not just about compassion,” she says. “The methods we showcase are scientifically better. In many fields, animal experiments are simply poor models for human biology.” Her knowledge and experience back that up. As a research group leader at the Technical University of Munich, she developed intestinal organoids: tiny, functional 3D models of human tissue, as alternatives to animal-based digestive research. “When you build a human model from actual patient cells, you can personalize treatment. You can see disease unfold in the dish. Alzheimer’s, for example, doesn’t naturally occur in mice. So how reliable can that model ever be?” Drug development too, is a case in point. “Over 90% of drugs that look promising in animal studies fail in human trials,” she says. “That’s an astronomical failure rate. It’s not just inefficient, it’s expensive, and avoidable. Non-animal technologies can change that.”

What the NAT Database offers

Launched in 2020, the NAT Database provides an overview of non-animal methods across scientific fields. From toxicology to oncology, from nephrology to neurodegenerative disease research. Its entries are compiled manually by a scientific team and based on peer-reviewed publications, university press releases, and validated methods. What sets the NAT Database apart? “First, it’s global,” Tamara explains. “You can find entries from all over the world. Second, it’s not just for academia. We include companies, too: method developers who create or commercialize non-animal technologies. And third, the entire database is written, maintained, and updated by humans, not scraped or autogenerated.”

The search functionality is particularly strong. Users can filter by:

• Research field (e.g., cardiovascular, reproductive, neurological)
• Model type (e.g., organoids, AI models, organ-on-a-chip, simulators)
• Company involvement
• Regulatory acceptance
• Country
• Publication year

And because the database includes contact information, researchers can reach out directly to method developers or scientists in their field. “This is also a tool for collaboration,” says Tamara. “If you’re working in France but see that someone in Germany developed a method you need, you can get in touch. We’ve seen new partnerships emerge this way.”

Education, collaboration, and visibility

The NAT Database is a growing network. In November 2023, the team organized a virtual seminar featuring eight method-developing companies from the database. Over 250 participants joined, each able to meet directly with companies in breakout rooms. “It exceeded all our expectations,” says Tamara. “People connected. Some even started joint research projects after that event.” This drive to connect is strategic. One of the biggest hurdles in moving away from animal testing isn’t lack of technology but a lack of awareness. “We regularly meet scientists who say, ‘Why didn’t I know this existed?’ That can be frustrating. We’re an NGO: we don’t have the budget for paid promotion or SEO rankings. So, we rely on networks, social media, webinars, university outreach. But we know we need more outreaching.” To expand visibility, the NAT Database has already been integrated into the online library systems of more than 200 German universities. “That makes us proud,” Tamara says. “It’s now officially recommended by regulatory bodies for researchers applying for animal experiments. They’re being told: ‘check NAT first and justify your choice.’ That’s real progress.”

The challenges of change

If these methods are better, cheaper, faster, more reliable, then why aren’t they standard already? Tamara: “That’s the paradox. The scientific arguments are clear. The economic arguments are compelling. But we’re dealing with a systemic issue. A hundred years of regulatory frameworks are built around animal tests. People’s careers are built around them. Changing that isn’t a small switch, it’s a shift that jeopardizes a giant field of careers, investments and education. It requires not only better methods, but trust in those methods. It’s not about fighting the old. It is about building the new and making sure it’s visible, accessible, and supported. And yes, that means giving traditional researchers tools to transition. Educating students. Engaging regulators. It takes time.”

That’s why the NAT Database is also being submitted as a formal “transition initiative” to the European Commission’s roadmap for phasing out animal testing in chemical safety. Tamara: “We want to use the database to monitor progress. How many regulatory-accepted methods are we seeing? Where are the gaps? In which research areas is more innovation needed? These are the indicators we can help track.”

What qualifies for inclusion?

Entries in the database must meet a strict criterion: the methods must be entirely animal-free—not just alternatives, but fully human-relevant. “That means no animal tissues, no ex vivo organs, and no animal-derived material as the main model,” Tamara clarifies. “We may tolerate certain lab reagents, like bovine serum or antibodies, in the materials used, but the method itself must not rely on any living or sacrificed animal.” The database includes both standard and emerging models: from brain organoids and AI-based predictive software, to advanced simulators used for surgical training. “There’s even a baby simulator listed,” she adds with a smile. “It’s amazing how far the technology has come.”

Looking ahead

What’s next for the NAT Database? “In the short term, we’re refining it as a tool to support the EU roadmap,” Tamara says. “That means identifying underrepresented research areas, reproductive toxicology, for instance, and actively seeking out methods to fill those gaps.” The longer-term goal is to grow its global reach. “Research is international. If Europe phases out animal testing but the U.S. or China doesn’t, we’ll run into barriers. So, we need harmonization and collaboration.” And finally, there’s the question of funding. “We need structural support to keep this going,” she says. “It’s free. It’s open. But maintaining it, adding entries, verifying them, translating them, updating links, that is a lot of work.” Still, Tamara remains hopeful. “If we can make the NAT Database a go-to resource for anyone looking to move away from animal testing, students, regulators, researchers, then we’re doing our job.” Her wish for the future? “More visibility. More collaboration. And above all, that the NAT Database continues to help shift the system. One entry, one method, one human-relevant breakthrough at a time.”

NAT Database

Interview: Hannah van der Vegt