RDefine, a spin-off of the University of Coimbra incubated at the Instituto Pedro Nunes, will lead a consortium that has secured €776,000 in funding to develop innovative tools aimed at improving biomedical research using laboratory animals. The project is led by Sofia Viana (principal investigator) and Flávio Reis (co-principal investigator), researchers at iCBR-FMUC.

The funding, awarded under the SIID – Business R&D Projects, Co-Promotion Operations (COMPETE2030) program, will support the creation and validation of technological solutions designed to enhance the efficiency, reproducibility, and rigor of preclinical studies, contributing to the accelerated development of new therapies.

The technological solutions under development are expected to have a significant impact on how animal models are used in research, promoting more rigorous, ethical approaches aligned with international best practices.

The consortium brings together several leading scientific institutions: the University of Coimbra, providing advanced expertise in industrial research assays, pharmacokinetics, efficacy (FFUC, FMUC), and materials science with applied mold design (FCTUC); and the University of Beira Interior (UBI), where experimental assays in operational settings will be conducted to validate the new product — the Kit Hapillness.

The three-year project aims to promote animal welfare and scientific quality, in close alignment with European Directive 2010/63/EU, which regulates the use of animals for scientific purposes. The results are expected to strengthen the robustness of preclinical data and contribute to efficiency, ethics, and innovation in biomedical research.

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