Last month, the vibrant city of Athens hosted the 15th FELASA Congress, and TEATIME was present with an inspiring and diverse team. Over four days, our members contributed to a packed programme of lectures, workshops, and poster presentations, all dedicated to advancing laboratory animal science and promoting better animal research practices.
TEATIME session, Promises of Automated Home Cage Monitoring – Better Future for Animals and Research, led by our Action Chair Vootele Voikar, was one of the first ones starting the conference. The first talk, delivered by co-chair Sara Wells, set the tone for meaningful discussions on how automated monitoring technologies are reshaping animal welfare and experimental design. Throughout the event, Lars Lewejohann showcased the potential of home-cage monitoring systems, while Nuno Henrique Franco delivered a thought-provoking lecture about the importance of including both sexes in animal experiments.
Several of our early-career researchers took the stage to share their work. Gabriela Morello, Andrea Leuthardt, and Sara Capas Peneda presented on the potential for reduction and refinement in laboratory mouse breeding, highlighting practical approaches to implementing the 3Rs. We are particularly proud that Bárbara Noronha Bastos, a recipient of our TEATIME young researcher grant, was awarded the Best Poster Prize at FELASA 2025, as voted by the delegates. This is a tremendous achievement and a testament to the quality and relevance of her research. In total, we were pleased to grant conference support to three talented young scientists—Veronika Borbélyová, Maša Čater, and Bárbara Noronha Bastos—who were able to attend, present their projects, and strengthen their scientific networks.
Beyond the lectures and posters, FELASA 2025 offered countless opportunities to exchange ideas and build connections with researchers, industry partners, and regulators. It was especially rewarding to discover that many professionals—even beyond the EU—are already familiar with TEATIME’s mission and are eager to follow our work. Our members were actively involved in a wide range of sessions, including discussions on smart strategies for social housing and enrichment, the role of Animal Welfare Bodies in Europe, environmental and psychological challenges in laboratory animal management, and collaborative European efforts to promote the 3Rs and improve disease modelling. These contributions reflect our interdisciplinary approach, bringing together expertise from preclinical research, data science, and bioinformatics, united by a common goal: better animal monitoring systems for a better future in research and animal welfare.
We are immensely proud of the visibility TEATIME achieved at FELASA 2025. From lectures to posters, from chairing sessions to networking with new collaborators, this congress was a fantastic opportunity to share our expertise, inspire others, and demonstrate the impact of our Action.
Thank you to everyone who joined us in Athens, attended our sessions, or stopped by to talk. For those who could not participate in person, many of the presentations will soon be accessible on the FELASA and TEATIME websites. We look forward to continuing these conversations and to seeing you at our upcoming events.
Together, we are shaping the future of laboratory animal science—one innovation at a time.
Maša Čater
Communication & Dissemination working group leader
