We recently wrote about the many existing venues, activities, and materials designed to encourage public dialogue and informed discussion about animal research. Many individuals, institutions, and organizations contribute to public outreach and education efforts, and also take active roles in dialogue about continuing changes in practice and policy concerning animal welfare and the conduct of … Continue reading Part 2: Many voices speaking of research
Millenium Technology Prize 2012: Mouse stem cell research heralds a new era in biomedical research
Every year since 2004 the Technology Academy Finland has awarded the prestigious Millennium Technology Prize as a tribute to life-enhancing technological innovations, and the list of past winners includes some of the world’s leading technological innovators. This year the Grand Prize is for the first time being shared between two innovators, Linus Torvalds, who created … Continue reading Millenium Technology Prize 2012: Mouse stem cell research heralds a new era in biomedical research
Cat Helicopter Exposes Moral Confusion Among Animal Rights Activists
Animal rights theorists argue that our moral consideration for a living being must rest exclusively on its intrinsic properties -- the notion of moral individualism. I explained earlier that accepting such an idea would imply our use of human or animal remains for an art project in school would be equivalent to using play-dough or … Continue reading Cat Helicopter Exposes Moral Confusion Among Animal Rights Activists
So, what can a growing fly teach us about skin cancer?
Back in April we welcomed launch of the Golden Goose Awards , an annual prize awarded to honor federally funded research “whose work may once have been viewed as unusual, odd, or obscure, but has produced important discoveries benefiting society in significant ways.”. The Golden Goose award was developed in response to attacks on basic research … Continue reading So, what can a growing fly teach us about skin cancer?
Many voices speaking of animal research
We recently wrote about the range of existing venues, activities, and materials designed to encourage public dialogue and informed discussion about animal research. Many individuals, institutions, and organizations contribute to public outreach and education efforts. They also take active roles in dialogue about continuing changes in practice and policy concerning animal welfare and the conduct … Continue reading Many voices speaking of animal research
Bridging the gap: Monkey studies shed light on nature, nurture, and how experiences get under the skin
“Is it nature or nurture?” “How does that work? How can social experiences actually change someone’s brain?” “So early experiences matter, but how much? Is it reversible? How long does it last? Is there a way to change the course?” All of these are popular questions that I hear from students, community members, clinicians, and … Continue reading Bridging the gap: Monkey studies shed light on nature, nurture, and how experiences get under the skin
Swiss scientists restore voluntary locomotion in paralysed rats.
A study published yesterday in the journal Science, in which a team of scientists led by Professor Gregoire Courtine at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology used a combination of electrical stimulation, drug treatment and a training regime that encouraged active participation to restore voluntary control of movement in paralysed rats, has received widespread media … Continue reading Swiss scientists restore voluntary locomotion in paralysed rats.
Speaking of Morality
It was with the goal of sharing my personal views on the ethics of animal research that I recently published a manuscript on the topic. I also participated in two separate, public debates with animal rights philosophers Gary Francione and Nathan Nobis. Briefly, my position is based on the notion of graded moral status. I believe we owe moral consideration … Continue reading Speaking of Morality
Speaking of Research 