Vision 

To help academic and scientific organisations meet the highest legal, ethical, veterinary, and scientific standards to ensure excellence in animal care and use, research integrity, and meaningful translational results.

Mission 

To refine the care and use of animals in science by promoting humane, responsible, and high-quality research practices. We connect science, ethics, and education through evidence-base approaches and established international standards to achieve better animal welfare and better research.

Background

Dr. Rafael Frías, DVM, MSc, PhD, Assoc. Prof. (LAS), is the Founder and Managing Director of R3FINED International Ltd. He has over 20 years of international experience in laboratory animal science, biomedical research, veterinary practice, and education.

Experience

Rafael is a laboratory animal veterinarian with a FELASA specialization in laboratory animal science (LAS) and with a PhD in laboratory animal medicine. He holds Associate Professor qualifications in LAS at the University of Helsinki and the Karolinska Institute. 

He has led the Department of Comparative Medicine at Karolinska University Hospital, directed the Unit for Education and Training in Laboratory Animal Science at Comparative Medicine, Karolinska Institute, served as Designated Veterinarian at the University of Turku, and worked as a veterinary scientist at the Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Helsinki.

He also has strong pedagogical training and extensive teaching experience, with consistently excellent evaluations from students and trainees. 

Professional roles

Rafael has published widely on LAS, presented at numerous conferences, and organized a large portfolio of training courses and CPD activities, summer schools, and international conferences.

He has been deeply involved in the field through roles such as President of ESLAV, External Expert for the FELASA Board of Education and Training, member of the Fondazione Guido Bernardini scientific committee, and board member of the Nordic Consortium for LAS Education and Training. He has also chaired ETPLAS working groups on practical skills assessment and assessor competence and contributed to several international scientific committees.