July 2nd, 2025.
The BC Foundation for Non Animal Research (BCFNAR) is pleased to announce that it has selected three grant recipients through its 2025 funding process. We continue to be thrilled with the outstanding quality of the applications we receive each year and continue to work to expand the number of grants we can provide. This year our grant total was $22,000!
Each year, from January 1st to April 30th, BCFNAR accepts applications from students and researchers in Canada from the biosciences who are dedicated to utilizing and developing Non-Animal Methods (NAMs) in their research. Their research must not use animals and should contribute, in part, to the development and body of knowledge for alternatives to animal methods in the biosciences.
Since 1970, BC FNAR is proud to have supported a diverse array of non-animal research initiatives from students and academic researchers, non-profit organizations, capital equipment purchases, and even Non-Animal Methods courses.
This year, all three grant recipients are from the University of British Columbia (UBC). It was a very competitive application process and we would like to thank all applicants from across Canada who participated. The successful candidates are:
Zheng (Maomao) Tan, Ph.D.
A human-based skin-lymph node model on-a-chip to emulate inflammatory skin conditions
Our method demonstrates that human-based organ-on-a-chip models offer a more predictive and accurate platform for studying inflammatory diseases compared to rodent models. This approach not only improves research reliability but also has the potential to significantly reduce dependence on rodents in future experimental studies.
Awarded: $2,000
Post-doctoral research fellow
School of Biomedical Engineering
Faculty of Applied Science and Faculty of Medicine
University of British Columbia
Tiffany Carlaw, Ph.D.
Human-based Liver on a Chip Models to Optimize Preclinical Testing of Novel Gene Therapies
If successful, this project will demonstrate that human liver organ-on-a-chip (OoC) models can be used to effectively screen new lipid-based drug delivery systems instead of traditional methods which rely on screening drugs in mice and other animal models
Awarded: $10,000
Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the School of Biomedical Engineering
In the laboratory of Prof Dr. Sarah Hedtrich
University of British Columbia
Liam O’Keeffe, B.Sc.
This project uses a non-animal blood brain barrier model in the development of a novel gene therapy for Gaucher disease
If successful, this project will demonstrate that human liver organ-on-a-chip (OoC) models can be used to effectively screen new lipid-based drug delivery systems instead of traditional methods which rely on screening drugs in mice and other animal models.
Awarded: $10,000
PhD Student in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
University of British Columbia
Congratulations again to all our successful grant applicants. We are inspired by the work you do which improves the science that benefits human and non-human animals alike.
We look forward to re-opening the application process again on Jan 1st, 2026 and we are excited to consider the new research submissions from compassionate researchers across Canada.
From the BC FNAR Board of Trustees, thank you for supporting and contributing to The Future of Science Today!
