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Wednesday, April 9, 2025 10:00 am ET / 14:00 UTC Join the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing's second session in their Animal-Free Workshop Series for Early-Career Researchers. Esther Wenzel, PhD, will provide an introduction to antibodies and discuss the development, advantages, and disadvantages of animal-free antibodies. WORKSHOP SUMMARY One of the most underestimated aspects of the 3R principles is the use of common laboratory reagents, such as antibodies, which cause the death of 1 million animals in the EU every year. There are > 3.5 million antibody-based products on the market, > 99% of which are animal-derived (polyclonal, monoclonal, recombinant), while < 1% are animal-free antibodies. However, methods of development and production vary widely in their impact on animal welfare. This workshop introduces antibodies and explains the most common terms used in relation to them. What does mono- or polyclonal mean? How are they developed and how do animals play a role? How can animal-free antibodies be developed and what are their advantages and disadvantages? ABOUT THE SPEAKER Dr. Esther Wenzel, Co-Founder and COO of Abcalis GmbH, is an expert in animal-free technologies specializing in animal-free antibody discovery and production and consulting to find solutions for animal-origin free work in labs. She has gained extensive experience with diagnostic tests, 3D cell cultures, and spheroids to replace animal tissue. She developed animal-free antibodies against diphtheria toxin by phage display that are currently under FDA review, perfected high-throughput methods for the functional testing of antibodies, and coinvented Multiclonal Antibodies, an animal-free replacement for polyclonal antibodies. Full details: https://www.pcrm.org/ethical-science/ethical-education-and-training/ERA21-events