Jan. 27 - Feb. 05, 2025 : Hands-On Workshop: Exploring in Vitro and Alternative Animal Models
About the Centre
The University Grants Commission (UGC), Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), and Medical & pharmacy Councils, had raised concern about the use of animals in learning and research. In this backdrop, Prof. M. A. Akbarsha, Former Director and Chair, has successfully initiated the Mahatma Gandhi – Doerenkamp Center (MGDC) for Alternatives to Use of Animals in Life Science Education in 2009 at Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu.
The center played a pivotal role in changing the attitude towards the alternatives to use of animals in academics and research communities of the country. The standalone facility of MGDC has specialized in three domains viz., in vitro, in silico and alternative model organisms, each domain conducting research, training and outreach programs to overall achieve the vision of making India as a leader in modern tools of learning and research.
Thus to continue the brilliance of the center, the university proposes to expand the activity of MGDC by bringing the expertise of faculties from various departments to enrich its multi-disciplinary activities. The idea of establishment of a national facility named National Centre for Alternatives to Animal Experiments (NCAAE) was further approved and funded by the UGC under CPEPA (Centre with Potential for Excellence in Particular Area) scheme. The main aim of this established centre is to promote excellence in education by launching modern tools in the field of alternatives to animal experiments. The primary focus of NCAAE is to establish the country as a leader on par with International Institute in Human Science by adopting alternative methods to animal experiments.