April 1st 2021 Most cancers are caused by many complex factors including aspects of the environment, such as toxins and pollutants, and genetic predispositions, such as having the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene in breast cancer. This complexity makes it challenging to capture all possible factors causing cancer in traditional laboratory models, such as the mouse. … Continue reading Sea Lions are a Crucial Model for Understanding how Cancer Develops
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#Evergreen: Predictability and Utility of Animal Models
March 26th 2021 Yesterday we highlighted one of the myths that those opposed to #AnimalResearch often spend their time propagating—that #AnimalResearch is only performed in benefit to humans—usually alongside the myth that #AnimalResearch fails to translate to humans. It is thus timely to highlight another of our posts debunking another prevalent and sensational claim—that 99% of drugs … Continue reading #Evergreen: Predictability and Utility of Animal Models
#AnimalResearch saves non-human animal lives too
March 25th 2021 A recent article in The Guardian highlights the vital role of #AnimalResearch—to benefit not only to humans, but other animals themselves. “At the start of 2021, four orangutans and five bonobos became the first great apes at a US zoo to receive Covid-19 vaccinations. An outbreak in San Diego zoo’s western lowland … Continue reading #AnimalResearch saves non-human animal lives too
#MPAR: Proof-of-concept technique in primates holds promise for paralyzed humans
March 24th 2021 Advanced brain-controlled neural prosthetics require electrodes to be inserted into the brain—which involves significant-risk open-brain surgery that causes acute and chronic local tissue damage—until now. A proof of concept study published in the journal Neuron, using two rhesus macaques, has demonstrated a minimally invasive approach, using functional ultrasound (fUS), for the control … Continue reading #MPAR: Proof-of-concept technique in primates holds promise for paralyzed humans
One step closer to treating spinal cord injury with our own stem cells
March 15th 2021 Justin Varholick, PhD Recently, a team of scientists from Yale University and Sapparo Medical University in Japan treated spinal cord injury patients with their own bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), increasing their ability to walk and use their hands. Previous to the treatment, 13 patients had sustained falls or minor … Continue reading One step closer to treating spinal cord injury with our own stem cells
#Evergreen: The Science and Medicine of “Progress for Science”
March 12th 2021 We have detailed the irresponsible behavior of those opposed to animal research during the pandemic and the hypocrisy of their rhetoric now that vaccines have received Emergency Use Authorization—thanks to over a decade of animal research as well as in safety and efficacy testing. Yesterday, we wrote about how recent media coverage of Catholic leaders’ endorsement of … Continue reading #Evergreen: The Science and Medicine of “Progress for Science”
International collaborations can both maintain animal welfare standards and advance science
March 10th 2021 Anna Mitchell, PhD, Michele A. Basso PhD and Renée Hartig PhD Please note that this article is published within a series of Speaking of Research posts to come that incorporate the range of viewpoints and perspectives on international regulations and collaborations between animal researchers. In the midst of an ongoing pandemic, there … Continue reading International collaborations can both maintain animal welfare standards and advance science
Prioritizing human life in a pandemic ≠ unnecessary
March 9th 2021 Sangy Panicker, Allyson J. Bennett, Amanda M. Dettmer, Justin A. Varholick, Jeremy D. Bailoo The world has faced an unprecedented crisis in the COVID-19 pandemic, with 113.5 million cases and over 2.5 million deaths globally since the start of the pandemic. Scientists across the globe, in diverse and sometimes disparate fields, have … Continue reading Prioritizing human life in a pandemic ≠ unnecessary
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