The premise of each World Congress is alternatives to the use of animals in research, testing and education, also known as the "3R's": replacement of the use of animals in research, reduction of the number of animals used, and refinement of procedures so that pain, distress and suffering are minimized. This World Congress has five running themes: replacement/reduction; refinement/reduction; databases/education/information retrieval; validation/testing; and policy/ethics. Speakers and contributors from around the world will address these themes via plenaries, workshops, point-counterpoint sessions, and poster exhibits. Participants are from various backgrounds, including government agencies, industry, animal protection, and scientific research institutions, and are considered experts in their respective fields.

Highlights of this year's Congress include Charles DeLisi's plenary lecture on the Virtual Human project. DeLisi, a professor and director of bioinformatics at Boston University, began the Human Genome Project and is currently designing cutting-edge software that will mimic all of the physiological processes of a human being. In addition, presenters at the Congress will discuss the latest developments in new testing approaches, such as improvements in experimental design that seek to reduce animal numbers in testing procedures; as well as report on the progress of refinement methods that minimize pain and distress experienced by animals in laboratories, such as new developments in monitoring animal physiology and behavior.

The World Congress, held on a triennial basis, is organized and funded by the Alternatives Congress Trust, Inc. (ACT) and s
'"/>

Contact: Rachel Querry
rquerry@hsus.org
301-258-8255
Humane Society of the United States
8-Aug-2002