Basel Declaration Calls for Solidarity with Researchers at University of Milan

The Basel Declaration have called for a show of solidarity with researchers at the University of Milan who had years of work destroyed when animal rights activists broke into the facility. See previous two links for more background information. Please sign this call of solidarity and share the link. Dear friends, colleagues and everybody in … Continue reading Basel Declaration Calls for Solidarity with Researchers at University of Milan

Statement on Harvard’s Decision to Close the New England Primate Research Center

Speaking of Research is saddened to learn about Harvard's decision to wind down operations at the New England Primate Research Center (NEPRC) within the next two years. Over the years the Primate Center has contributed important discoveries in many fields, including AIDS, Parkinson's disease, primate retroviruses, addiction, cardiology and stem cells. The University cited difficult … Continue reading Statement on Harvard’s Decision to Close the New England Primate Research Center

European Storm Clouds gather over Italy

There has been a rise in animal rights extremism across much of Europe for some time. Movements have increasingly focused on the breeding and transporting of Beagles used in animal experiments, however some seem to be broadening to all research. While the UK has locked up the worst extremists (and those who have since been … Continue reading European Storm Clouds gather over Italy

Pro-Test Italia in Milan: A silver lining to a grey cloud

In December 2012 we reported that scientists in Italy had founded Pro-Test Italia to counter the rising tide of ignorance and intimidation that threatens the future of science in Italy. Last weekend we heard about a new animal rights outrage in Italy.  As reported in Nature News, activists broke into the Department of Pharmacology in … Continue reading Pro-Test Italia in Milan: A silver lining to a grey cloud

Not All In It Together

In February of this year I got into an argument on the SR blog comments section about whether we should be taking an all or nothing approach to animal use. If we wanted to best support the use of animals in biomedical research, should we also be defending eating animals, hunting animals, cosmetic testing, fur … Continue reading Not All In It Together

Treating Progeria; How GM mice give hope to some very special children

Something big is going on right now in the world of research. Something very specific for some very special children with a very rare disease. It may not be widely known by name but I am sure you have seen these children. The disease is called Progeria. From the Progeria Research Foundation's website, we learn: … Continue reading Treating Progeria; How GM mice give hope to some very special children

IVF pioneer Sir Robert Edwards dies aged 87

We are saddened to learn that IVF pioneer Professor Sir Bob Edwards has died at the age of 87, following a long illness. The University of Cambridge announced his death earlier today, noting that through his work Professor Edwards had improved the lives of millions of people around the world. Speaking about his former colleague, … Continue reading IVF pioneer Sir Robert Edwards dies aged 87

Speaking of Research: The Fifth Anniversary

If Speaking of Research was a person in the US, entering its sixth year of life, they should have received vaccines for the following: chickenpox, diphtheria, Hib, HepA, HepB, flu, measles, mumps, pertussis (Whooping Cough), polio, pneumococcal, rotavirus, rubella and tetanus (a similar schedule exists in the UK). All of these have depended on animal research … Continue reading Speaking of Research: The Fifth Anniversary