Recommendations of the Polish Zebrafish Society on the use of the zebrafish (Danio rerio) model in biomedical research

The zebrafish ( Danio rerio ) has become a widely adopted vertebrate model in biomedical research, offering high translational value while supporting the principles of Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement (3Rs). Here, the Polish Zebrafish Society presents comprehensive, field-specific recommendations for the responsible and effective use of zebrafish across major areas of biomedical research. The document summarizes the scientific rationale and experimental advantages of zebrafish-based approaches in oncology, toxicology, neurology and neuropsychiatry, metabolic diseases, immunology, cardiology, and genetic disease modelling. The model’s key strengths include rapid development, optical transparency, genetic tractability, and strong conservation of molecular and physiological pathways relevant to human disease. These features enable real-time in vivo analysis of pathological processes, high-throughput pharmacological and toxicological screening, and functional validation of disease-associated genes. By integrating ethical considerations with robust experimental evidence, these recommendations aim to promote standardized implementation of zebrafish models in academic research, pharmaceutical development, and regulatory science. Broad adoption of zebrafish-based approaches can accelerate preclinical discovery, enhance translational relevance, and substantially reduce reliance on higher vertebrate models.