Brno scientist develops tool to reduce animal testing in research

Biomedical engineer Jana Musilová from Brno University of Technology has created a tool that simulates how living organisms react to stimuli and drugs, helping reduce the need for animal testing. Her open-source system, called Augusta, builds digital models of biological systems using gene regulatory and Boolean networks. The technology allows researchers to test hypotheses without conducting experiments on live animals. Musilová’s work earned her a place among the 12 finalists in the Czech edition of the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science competition. In 2024, Czech labs used around 185,000 animals in tests—down by a fifth from the previous year.