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Replacing mice with 3D printed mouse tails for tail injection training

WHY DO WE NEED TO TRAIN PEOPLE TO INJECT MICE?

When conducting studies with animals, researchers often need to deliver substances via injection. In mice, the most commonly used experimental animal in Switzerland, this is done through the tail vein. But before a researcher can perform an intravenous injection on a mouse for an experiment, they must first be trained to carry out the procedure. This means using ‘training mice’ to learn how to successfully deliver liquid through the tail. The procedure isn’t simple as the vein in the mouse tail is very small, making hitting the right spot on the first go tricky.

After several training sessions the researchers will then be able to carry out the procedure in research studies. While essential for ensuring proper technique later on, this training process can cause suffering to the training animals, from the stress of being handled to the pain of being pierced with a needle.

HOW CAN A 3D-PRINTED TAIL HELP?

Felix Gantenbein saw an opportunity to reduce this suffering and developed a 3D-printed mouse tail for use in trainings. He was awarded two 3RCC grants to support his innovative project. The process was incredibly collaborative, leaning on the skills of the Additive Manufacturing Facility (AMF) at the University of Zurich as well as feedback from researchers who had tested early models.

The tail has tubular structures inside that mimic the veins inside mice tails. The trainee must delicately hold the 3D-printed tail as they carefully inserted the needle, aiming to find the correct vein and gently deliver the liquid. The process from placing the tail in a restrainer to There is such high demand that Felix is now sending the 3D-printed tails to labs around the world who would like to incorporate the process into their training.

ADVANCING

 

REPLACEMENT

 

KEYWORDS

 

  • 3D-PRINTING
  • INJECTION TRAINING
  • MICE

 

 

TUTORIAL VIDEO

 

We were so impressed by Felix’s work that we decided to support it with a video tutorial demonstrating how to use the 3D-printed tail. The video guides researchers step-by-step through the training process and, at the time of writing, has already been viewed over 50,000 times online.

 

UPDATE!

 

 

  • The 3D-printed mouse tail model for intravenous (i.v.) injection training is already making a strong impact. It is now regularly used in practical courses for researchers at the University of Zurich and has begun to be implemented in training programs internationally — including in Germany, Austria, the U.S., the Netherlands, Belgium, France, the U.K., Korea, Australia, and Canada.

 

  • A scientific publication on the usefulness and feasibility of these models is in preparation, with the aim of publishing in an open-access journal. The project will also be presented at upcoming scientific meetings such as ESLAV/ECLAM 2024 and FELASA 2025.

 

  • To further support global adoption, legal consultation is underway to explore open sharing of the 3D-printing plans. While replication requires specialized equipment and expertise, this move could unlock even greater collaboration and advance the 3Rs in research training worldwide.