Taconic AWARE™ Program
Taconic Biosciences is committed to a culture of care that aligns with the 3R principles while providing the best solutions for researchers.
The Taconic AWARE™ Program (Animal Welfare Aligning with Resource Efficiency) was designed to plan, execute, and monitor projects proactively and responsively. This program ensures that custom colony management projects are designed to fulfill the scientific needs of the investigator while considering animal welfare, genetic integrity, and the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement) of animal research.
How does the Taconic AWARE™ program benefit your project?
- 1Improve Project Efficiency
Taconic project and scientific program managers proactively manage the project design, potential risks, and support with operations training and preparations. Once the project has started, the team continues to monitor production and adjusts the project plan according to real-time needs. - 2Maintain Genetic Integrity in Your Colony
Taconic geneticists and scientific program managers offer guidance to maintain genetic integrity when designing and executing each project to find the right balance that meets your study needs. Managing genetic variability and drift over time promotes reproducibility in research within and across studies and laboratories. - 3Effectively Manage Adverse Phenotypes
Taconic veterinarians assess the severity of an adverse phenotype an animal may experience due to their genetic modification(s). This assessment includes disease classification, recommended clinical observations, special care instructions, and humane endpoints. The initial evaluation is integrated into your custom project proposals and continues to be monitored through the life of your project.
How does the Taconic AWARE™ program work?
The Taconic AWARE™ Program offers insights into the following categories of your project:
- Animal Utilization
- Pain and Distress
- Genetic Integrity
- Adverse Phenotype
All categories are assessed with a rating system during project design and continuously monitored during execution. Project success is not dependent on the rating, but the rating provides visibility of where your project falls within these categories.
Taconic’s AWARE™ Program Rating and Explanation Guide
The red letter “A” symbolizes AWARE™ and contains four colored triangles where each triangle represents a category and is included in your project proposal.
Complete the form to discover how the Taconic AWARE™ Program can support your colony management project.