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The National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) is a UK-based scientific organisation that works with researchers to replace, refine and reduce the use of animals in research and testing. In the broader scope of biological research, it acts as a funder of 3Rs research and as the developer of free tools such as the Experimental Design Assistant (EDA).
What it is and who runs it
As described on the official NC3Rs structure page on 2026-11-07, the NC3Rs is represented legally by the Medical Research Council (MRC), which is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and it uses some MRC administrative systems. A non-executive Board, chaired by Professor Julia Buckingham CBE, oversees it. Board members have expertise in animal and non-animal research, animal welfare and the 3Rs, and serve in a personal capacity for three years with a possible two-year extension.
The centre’s work is organised around the 3Rs principles: replacement, reduction and refinement. Some of its awards are run jointly with the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).
Eligibility (summary, with the official source)
Eligibility differs by scheme. The NC3Rs funding page points applicants to separate applicant guidance for each scheme, and that guidance is the authoritative statement of who may apply. Check the guidance for the specific scheme before planning an application, and confirm the host institution’s research office can submit on your behalf.
What it funds or requires
As listed on the NC3Rs funding page on 2026-11-07, the schemes are:
- Project grants: developing, characterising and testing new 3Rs models, methods, tools and technologies.
- PhD studentships: training graduate students in 3Rs approaches.
- CRACK IT Challenges: challenge-led collaborations between industry, academics and small and medium-sized enterprises.
- Partnerships and impact awards: moving 3Rs models toward wider uptake.
- NC3Rs-BBSRC Business Interaction Voucher awards: academic-industry partnerships to increase the real-world impact of 3Rs models and technologies.
- NC3Rs-BBSRC ICURe Explore awards: market exploration for emerging 3Rs technologies, products and services.
- Network primer awards: collaborations for sharing 3Rs technologies between Network members.
- Early career engagement awards: outreach, skills and networking for NC3Rs-funded students and post-docs.
- Public engagement awards: up to 2,000 pounds for sharing 3Rs work with public audiences.
On that date the page stated that the schemes were not open for applications at that time, and it suggested the newsletter as the way to learn when they reopen. Animal research is commonly reported against the ARRIVE guidelines (see also ARRIVE 2.0).
Application or compliance steps
The steps and forms are scheme specific and change between calls, so the current call text and applicant guidance on the NC3Rs funding page are the reference. Researchers planning animal experiments can use the Experimental Design Assistant to structure the design before writing up methods. Whether a particular scheme requires it is stated in that scheme’s guidance.
Typical timeline phases
Opening and closing dates are published per scheme rather than as one fixed cycle. Use the dates in the scheme’s current call and allow time for the host institution’s internal approval before the deadline.
Common mistakes
These are design and planning weaknesses that the EDA is built to surface:
- Sample size not justified: choosing group sizes by habit rather than by a sample size calculation.
- No randomisation or blinding plan: leaving allocation and outcome assessment undocumented.
- Planning around a closed scheme: check the funding page for open calls before starting work.
- Relying on summaries: using a third-party summary instead of the scheme’s own applicant guidance.
Experimental Design Assistant (EDA)
As described on the EDA site on 2026-11-07, the Experimental Design Assistant is a free NC3Rs resource. You build a diagram of your experimental plan and the system critiques it to give bespoke feedback; it also recommends statistical analysis methods, performs sample size calculations and supports randomisation and blinding.
Related programs
Related reading on CASRAI: what systems biology is, the ARRIVE guidelines for reporting animal research, and the 3Rs definition.
FAQ
What is the Experimental Design Assistant (EDA)?
It is a free NC3Rs resource. You build a diagram of your experimental plan, the system critiques it to give bespoke feedback, and it recommends statistical analysis methods and supports sample size calculation, randomisation and blinding.
Who runs the NC3Rs?
It is represented legally by the Medical Research Council, part of UKRI, and overseen by a non-executive Board chaired by Professor Julia Buckingham CBE.
What does the NC3Rs fund?
Project grants, PhD studentships, CRACK IT Challenges and several smaller award types, listed above. On 2026-11-07 the funding page stated the schemes were not open for applications.
Where do I find eligibility rules?
In the applicant guidance for each scheme, linked from the NC3Rs funding page.
Sources
- NC3Rs, our structure: https://nc3rs.org.uk/who-we-are/our-structure (checked 2026-11-07)
- NC3Rs, funding: https://nc3rs.org.uk/funding (checked 2026-11-07)
- NC3Rs Experimental Design Assistant: https://eda.nc3rs.org.uk/ (checked 2026-11-07)
