How have animals helped scientists fight diseases?

This is a incredible resource for both the scientific community and the general public!

Speaking of Research

Since Speaking of Research was founded in 2008, we have produced over 800 posts, including over 200 posts that report scientific breakthroughs made possible thanks to studies on animals. However, finding information about how specific animals have helped fight specific diseases has not always been easy.

Well fear no more, from Amphibians to Zebrafish,  Addiction to Viral respiratory infections,we have produced two new web pages which can help you find out how animal studies are helping improve our understanding and treatment of disease. They can be found in the menu under “Resources”, or via these links below:

• Research Indexed by Species
• Research Indexed by Disease

So go exploring through posts old and new to find the information interesting to you. It’s a wonderful chance to share our posts on Twitter and Facebook.

What other new pages and posts would you like to see on Speaking of Research?

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Dr. Dettmer Goes to Washington

Great advocating for animal research.

Speaking of Research

Part 1 of a 4-part series in which a scientific researcher, Dr Amanda Dettmer, describes her entry into the world of legislation and public advocacy. It is important that the scientific community, and the scientists themselves, engage with science policy – policy makers are regularly courted by animal rights groups, and it is important that they also hear the voice of scientists.

On March 17, 2016, I attended Capitol Hill Day as a Society for Neuroscience (SfN) Early Career Policy Ambassador. I applied for this program because I wanted to learn more about the ins and outs of science policy: how it is enacted, who informs it, and how everyday citizens (scientist and non-scientist alike) can contribute to it. These issues can have a huge impact on science; I know this because funding issues have led to a decision to slowly close the animal facility where I work at…

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Community Outreach: Talking about the animals

This is an incredible article by a fellow Speaking of Research member. This article is well spoken and an inspiration for us all.

Speaking of Research

Many of us that work in biomedical research often are confronted with the dreaded question: “What do you do for a living?” The anxiety of the inevitable conversation about animal research can be palpable. One may ask, “Do I tell them the truth and get into a debate about the ethics of animal research? Or do I tell them that I am an accountant, thus avoiding any further conversation about my career?” Although distorting the truth works, but it does a great disservice to all those involved. How will people really understand animal research unless accurate, balanced information is provided? Historically, the majority of the information available is from science journals or biased animal rights groups. As a result, the bulk of the information is skewed to paint animal research as a vile, unethical institution that cares little about the animals. On the other hand, science journals describe the science…

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Things to see at the 66th AALAS National Meeting

This is going to be my first year attending the National meeting. I am very excited and pleased to be awarded the District 5 Technician Branch Representative Award from Lab Products!

Speaking of Research

There’s plenty to see at the 66th AALAS National Meeting, which starts on Sunday. Here are a few sessions, booths and activities we think are worth your while during your stay in Phoenix, Arizona.

Speaking of Research Poster!

We have submitted a poster (P155) this year for AALAS. So make sure you come and check it out.

Speaking of Research (SR) aims to provide accurate information about the importance of animal research in medical and veterinary science. Informed discussion is imperative to understanding differing points of view, but all too often the voice advocating the value of ethically conducted scientific research involving animals is absent. Scientists and laboratory animal science professionals (LASP) each have a crucial role in educating the general public and policy makers regarding the importance of this work. Scientists are able to provide unique insights about how and why they use animal models. Why is it…

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What happens when an animal rights activist tours an animal research lab?

Speaking of Research

What would you do if an activist group, whose Facebook wall features the extremist group the ALF, asked to tour your labs? While many people would ignore their request, the University of Guelph (Canada) invited the individual in to tour the facility and answer their questions.

Animal Rights Compliance Facebook page

A post on the Animal Rights Compliance Facebook page on the 12^th September 2015 states that they believe in “The complete abolition vivisection, animal research or drug testing cosmetics, testing of consumer products on animals. Infractions need to be dealt with by fines and minimum incarceration times.” So one might not expect a glowing review on Facebook when the (anonymous) individual reported back.

See transcript of picture at the bottom of this post

Instead we get an honest account of a research institution which is working hard to improve animal welfare. Huge congratulations to the University of Guelph…

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5 Minutes with an Animal Care Facility Coordinator

Speaking of Research

Richard Marble, an Animal Care Facility Coordinator at Ferris State University, is a dedicated and experienced Animal Technologist who takes his responsibility of caring for the animals in his care seriously.  Following a guest post (It’s All About the Animals) in which Richard wrote giving insight into what is it like being an animal facility manager, he agreed to do an interview with Speaking of Research member, Jazzminn Hembree.

Richard opened up about his responsibilities in caring for animal welfare, and how he oversees all activities taking place within the facility as he seeks to improve animal welfare.  Many improvements have occurred during his time in the field, such as changes in housing and environmental enrichment. Richard explains

Research is like an enigma. Even those of us in the field do not like utilizing animals for research, but until such time as they are no longer necessary- the…

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Why People Are Wrong to Oppose the New UK Beagle Breeding Facility

Tom does a great job at explaining how adding a breeding facility in the UK would add to the health and well being of the animals. This would allow research facilities to receive animals without shipping them over seas and stressing them.

He also gives examples of how beagles have helped both humans and animals alike discover things like vaccinations.

The comments posted on the original post are vey interesting to say the least. Many people still believe research and testing should be done on prisoners! Tom explains to this comment that this would one be a horrifying ethical issue but there is no way to control the research subjects. You can not create genetically modified prisoners to have the genetic background or disease that can be created and monitored in animals such as mice quickly.

There is much more to animal research than just “poking and prodding” innocent animals. The point of these studies is to reduce the number of animals needed to generate valuable data. We in the field do everything in our power to ensure the animals are housed and cared in ethical standards.

There is much more to discuss…

Speaking of Research

This post was originally posted on Huffington Post UK’s website. It is reprinted with permission from both the author and the Huffington Post. The original hyperlinks which were stripped out of the HP article have been returned.

Where do medicines come from?

It’s not a question most of us bother with when we take advantage of the huge array of medical treatments available to us.

All modern medicine is built on the ‘basic research’ which allows us to understand our physiology, and the diseases we suffer. Much of this research has been done, and continues to be done, in animals. Had Mering and Minkowski not shown the causal link between the pancreas and diabetes in dogs, we might never have discovered insulin (much more work was conducted in dogs by Banting and Best who later won the Nobel Prize for the discovery of insulin). Had Pasteur not shown…

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It’s All About the Animals

I have had the pleasure of getting to know Richard over the course of about 2 and a half years professionally. I find Richard to be a great connection in the Animal Science field and is always looking to help.

I asked Richard to write this guest post because of his position at Farris State University he has to wear many hats. I thought his perspective would be beneficial to others both in the field and the general public.

As you can see by his article Richard is a dedicated animal care taker and I am grateful for his contributions.

~

Speaking of Research

The following guest post is by Richard Marble RLATg, CMAR, Laboratory Animal Facility Coordinator at Ferris State University. In this article, he provides an insight into animal facilities from the perspective of a lab animal facility manager.

Laboratory Animal Research and Testing.

You hear about this controversial subject as a topic of discussion in the news quite often. You’ll see live video feeds on TV of animal rights protestors in front of research facilities or on government building front lawns, protesting the use of animals in research. You’ll read of pro-animal testing groups standing across the street counter protesting the animal rights activists in the newspaper. But seldom do you hear the stories from the compassionate, animal and people loving individuals inside the walls of these companies and institutions performing the research and caring for the animals. I want to share with you a peek at life behind the…

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Animal Science History timeline and Informational Presentations

Tags

Animal research history, Presentations, Videos

I have created two Prezi presentations for the public to access and get information.

This project started out as a class project, but I wanted it to also serve as a place where people can access the information an share it with friends and family.  The first presentation Animal Research Information is simply a presentation of the animal research field, you can access youtube videos, see the history, what charities benefit and contribute to research, meet some of the people who work in the field, and find other websites for further information:

Animal Research information

Breakthroughs in History

The second presentation is a time line narrated by me on the historical breakthroughs made over history to make us what we are today!

I hope you enjoy~

Jazzminn

World Week to Speak Up About Animal Research

Speaking of Research

Banner at UW-Madison, April 2015.

Each April a group of people committed to ending all use of animals for any purpose, including medical and scientific research, orchestrate events for a week they designate World Week for Animals in Laboratories (WWAIL). Among the primary objectives of WWAIL is to generate media coverage via picketing and protests. The event often culminates in World Day for Animals in Laboratories (WDAIL).

WWAIL events are primarily coordinated by Michael Budkie, leader of Stop Animal Exploitation Now (SAEN). Budkie is also known for previous misrepresentation of animal research and its rebuttal by federal agencies. Budkie’s group is funded primarily by the Mary T. and Frank L. Hoffman Foundation, a “Biblically based organization” that believes “our call to mission is to restore God’s original creation intent of a plant based diet (Genesis 1:29-30).”  The  mission of the Hoffman Foundation  is quite clear: “To promote through…

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