Tag: animal research

Mice, Nanotechnology, and Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Back in March I discussed a new therapy that combines nanotechnology and RNA interference (RNAi) to treat metastatic melanoma, and how basic and applied animal research has contributed to its’ development.  Now researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University have reported the development of another nanotechnology and RNAi approach to treating inflammatory … Continue reading Mice, Nanotechnology, and Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Speaking Up: Confronting Misrepresentation

Animal activist groups often depend upon sensationalized and misrepresentative stories about laboratory animals to achieve media coverage.  The response to these stories illustrates great public interest in how and why animal research is conducted. Unfortunately, these stories frequently perpetuate distorted views about the goals and conduct of the vast majority of animal research. As such, … Continue reading Speaking Up: Confronting Misrepresentation

Bob Edwards wins 2010 Nobel Prize for developing IVF: Thank the mice, rabbits, hamsters…

Professor Robert G. Edwards of the University of Cambridge has long been recognized as one of the pioneers of reproductive medicine. His most famous accomplishment, along with surgeon Patrick Steptoe*, came in 1978 with the birth of Louise Joy Brown, the first baby born through in-vitro fertilization.  This achievement has now been recognized by the … Continue reading Bob Edwards wins 2010 Nobel Prize for developing IVF: Thank the mice, rabbits, hamsters…

Mice Help Develop Molecular Imaging of Tumors

Can you follow the structural growth and metabolic activity of a developing tumor?   Such an advance would allow one to track how patients are responding to their therapies right away instead of having to wait weeks.  The video shows new research in the field of molecular imaging and yet another example of how the … Continue reading Mice Help Develop Molecular Imaging of Tumors

Speaking Up: Who Does ‘No Comment’ Work For?

It is no secret that activist groups regularly aim for mainstream news coverage by producing sensationalized and misinformed stories about laboratory animals.  Like other topics in science that are generally not well understood, animal research can be a relatively easy target for misrepresentation. This is particularly true when such stories are met with little challenge … Continue reading Speaking Up: Who Does ‘No Comment’ Work For?

Leicester – The New British Battleground?

Back across the pond, in Leicester (pronounced "les-ter"), animal rights activists are warming up for a battle against a new £15 million (around $24 million) biomedical facility which the University of Leicester is building. Looking through the local rags, an interesting article came up in "this is Leicestershire" from a reporter who took a look … Continue reading Leicester – The New British Battleground?

Animal Research – Interview Technique

I would like to share an old news debate on animal research between Simon Festing (Chief Executive of Understanding Animal Research) and Nicky Gordon (Dr. Hadwen Trust): There is much that can be learned from Simon's interview technique. Have information on the benefits of animal research readily to hand - Simon looked ready to list … Continue reading Animal Research – Interview Technique