Two days dedicated to the new frontiers of ultrasound imaging, promoting increasingly ethical and sustainable use of animal models in scientific research.

The University of Insubria will host the international meeting-workshop «New Horizons using Preclinical Ultrasound and Multimodal Technologies in Translational Research: a Real Powerful Tool for 3Rs Application» on 24 and 25 June. The event is organized in collaboration with Fujifilm VisualSonics and coordinated by Professor Massimo Venturini of the Department of Medicine and Technological Innovation.

The initiative will bring together researchers, academics and professionals from universities, research institutes and biomedical companies to explore the role of preclinical and multimodal imaging technologies in translational research, with particular focus on the principles of the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement), which promote increasingly ethical and sustainable use of animal models in scientific research.

The scientific sessions will take place on the mornings of 24 and 25 June in the Aula Magna of Collegio Carlo Cattaneo in Varese. The programme includes presentations on the regulatory and ethical aspects of animal experimentation, the most advanced preclinical imaging techniques – ranging from high-frequency ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging to computed tomography and photoacoustic imaging – and their applications in cardiovascular, neurological and oncological research.

Special attention will be devoted to future perspectives in translational research and the use of imaging platforms in the development of innovative diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Speakers include experts from the University of Insubria, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Humanitas University, the University of Milano-Bicocca, the University of Milan, the University of Florence, the Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research, the National Research Council (CNR), and Fujifilm VisualSonics.

During the afternoons of both days, skill labs will be held at the University of Insubria animal facility. These hands-on sessions, led by experienced tutors, will focus on imaging applications in neurobiology, oncology, the cardiovascular system, the gastrointestinal tract and the lymphatic system, covering data acquisition, analysis and presentation.

The event represents an important opportunity for professional development, interdisciplinary exchange and discussion of the most innovative technologies in biomedical research, fostering dialogue between basic research, applied research and technological development.