CRACK IT 2024 Challenge 49: Rodent Shelter

The NC3Rs works to pioneer better science through advancing the 3Rs (replacement, reduction and refinement) of the use of animals in scientific research. CRACK IT is a challenge-led competition that funds collaborations between industry, academics and SMEs to solve business and scientific Challenges which will deliver 3Rs benefits, either by improving business processes or developing a commercial product.

Challenge 49: Rodent Shelter

Rodents are often singly housed for a period during their recovery and cage enrichment items are removed to avoid injuries. There are opportunities to refine the care of rodents through enhanced monitoring of parameters such as body temperature and improvements to the housing environment after surgery.

Further information about the aims and deliverables of this Challenge can be found in the Challenge brief. The sponsors for this Challenge are AstraZeneca.

This is a single-phase challenge with funding of £150k for a single contract, duration up to 2 years.

Who can apply?

CRACK IT Challenges are run using the Innovate UK Contracts for Innovation process. The competition is open to any UK or European body, public or private. Applications can be from single organisations or investigators or from consortia. The lead applicant must be UK or EU based.

Applicants from the same organisation(s) as the Sponsors are not eligible to apply.

Scope

Annually at AstraZeneca, over 200 rodents undergo surgical procedures and require post-operative care. The development of a small, easy-to-use, warming shelter would improve post-operative recovery, monitoring and pain management, as well as scientific outcomes. Improved recovery could also enable:

• A reduction in rodent use, especially for advanced surgical models, where extra animals are added due to the uncertainty around post-operative recovery.
• Returning animals to their social groups more quickly, minimising the time spent singly-housed.

The aim of this Challenge is to develop an easy-to-use and affordable shelter that provides warmth and can be placed in any type of cage post-surgery to improve the post-operative care of rodents. The shelter should be equipped with controllable heat to keep the rodent warm and made of a transparent material to aid visual monitoring while avoiding disturbing the animal. The shelter should be equipped with sensors for real-time non-invasive telemetry to monitor vital signs and indirect parameters of stress and/or pain such as heart rate, respiratory rate and body temperature. The shelter should be of different sizes for mice and rats and fit into any standard cage type. It should provide a controllable heat source for warmth, which should be wireless with a battery time of at least 24 hours. Further requirements are given in the challenge brief.

Briefing and support

If you are interested in applying for this Challenge, register for the launch webinar on Wednesday 18 September 2024, 10.00 – 11.30 (BST).

If you would like help to find a collaboration partner, contact Innovate UK Business Connect’s Biotechnology or Health teams.