Mahatma Gandhi Doerenkamp Center

The Mahatma Gandhi Doerenkamp Center for Alternatives to the Use of Animals in Life Sciences (MGDC), has been established in the Bharathidasan University, India as a national center for alternatives with the mandate to synergize the Gandhian philosphy of "Ahimsa" in the teaching/ research of Life Sciences. A first of its kind, the center will introduce this new socio-scientific concept of non-violent teaching and research methods in Life Sciences.

The brainchild of Dr Shiranee Pereira, Co-founder I-CARE, the center functions as a joint venture of Doerenkamp Zbinden Foundation, Switzerland and Bharathidasan University India. The center is presently wholly funded by the DZ Foundation. The Director of the center is Dr. MA Akbarsha. The DZ foundation has also established the Gandhi-Gruber-Doerenkamp Chair for Alternatives in Life Science Education and In vitro Toxicology at the center.

The Center will strive to promote quality and excellence in Life Science education/research/testing by introducing value-based and value-added pedagogy, research systems, tools based on "humane" education principles. The Center will encourage the use of alternatives to animals by training teachers, researchers, students and the other stake-holders in the use of in vitro and in silico methods in Universities and Laboratories across India. The Center, whilst encouraging the use of No-Kill methods in the classroom/laboratory, will also reap the psycho-social benefits that arise from inculcating the Gandhian philosophy of non-violence in teachers and students.

This Center will be a unique insignia of the Gandhian philosophy of non-violence. The Center will promote this philosophy in the teaching of Life Sciences and will help educate students with the concept of "humane science". The center will seek to blend the Gandhian thought of non-violence in Life Science education/research and promote humane education systems by way of introducing alternatives to the use of animals in research and education, the pragmatic translation of which would be to promote the internationally accepted "Concept of the 3Rs" - Replace, Reduce and Refine (Russel and Burch, 1959) the use of animals in education, research and testing. The concept of 3Rs is also referred to as the "Science of Alternatives".

The Center will have the potential to usher a new generation of scientists, teachers, students and open new vistas in Life Science education and research.

THE PHILOSPHY OF THE CENTER

The Great Mahatma said "I abhor vivisection with my whole soul. All the scientific discoveries stained with innocent blood I count as of no consequence."

Central to Mahatma Gandhiji's vision was an impassioned conviction that at the heart of all life there is 'Truth' which sustains all creation; a 'Truth' which demands a personal response from each individual. He saw 'Truth' as a truth present in every person. In particular, he held non-violence as a basic tenet of this 'truth', a positive force that can bring about fundamental change at all levels. For Gandhiji 'non-violence' was the discovery of a new kind of power. It is a well known fact that Gandhiji not only played a major role in India achieving its independence but taught a philosophy which has universal applicability. The core of that philosophy is the search for truth through nonviolence - ahimsa. Gandhiji taught respect for animals as well as humans, a non-exploitative relationship to the environment, the elimination of poverty, the limitation of personal wealth and possessions, and non-violence applied at all levels of relationships, be it man to man, man to animal or man to environment.

MISSION STATEMENT OF THE CENTER

• This Center will work to achieve excellence in Life Science education by introducing value-based learning systems that will blend the Gandhian philosophy of non-violence with the "Science of Alternatives" - i.e., the concept 3Rs - Replacement, Reduction and Refinement, in the use of animals in Life Science education, basic biomedical research and testing.

• It will function as a National Authority on alternatives to the use of animals in experimentation and help implement the use of alternatives and humane education programs in accordance with national legislations, the philosophy of ahimsa, good laboratory practices and state-of-the-art in-vitro methods in research and education.

• The Center will bring together stakeholders in the 3Rs - academia, scientific community, industry, government and animal behavior/welfare personnel from national and international levels to raise the awareness and facilitate the exchange of information and ideas on alternatives by way of national level seminars, workshops, congresses, etc.

• The Center, in recognition that the teaching of the philosophy of non-violence is an imperative psycho-social need of the hour, will formulate a certificate course that will sensitize students to sentience and respect for all forms of life, the law and ethics of animal use in education/research and the concept of 3 Rs. It will help students respect and emulate our great Indian thinkers like Mahatma Gandhi, Buddha and Jawaharlal Nehru and introduce the philosophy of Ahimsa and non-violence in the teaching and research of Life Sciences.

• The Center will help by way of funding the development and research of environmentally friendly pedagogical tools and in vitro alternative methods for Life Science teaching and research. The Center will encourage the use of e-tools and help establish virtual learning centers for teaching. It will establish a state-of-the-art tissue culture laboratory for training in non animal methods of research and product testing .

• The center will strive to take forward the Declaration of Bologna and the resolutions made there in to research laboratories and universities across India.