Two EARA events last week brought together different audiences in Portugal to foster greater understanding about animal research and the need for openness.
An EARA Patient Discovery Day invited those living with diabetes to meet with biomedical researchers at EARA member NOVA Medical School (NMS), Lisbon, in co-ordination with the patient group APDP Diabetes.
The meeting reflected the growing demand from patients to learn more about the research in their country that is seeking better solutions for their condition.
Participants heard from principal investigators Sílvia Conde, Rita Patarrão, Hugo Vicente Miranda, and Gabriela Silva, who explained how their research uses animals, particularly mice and rats, to explore potential therapies for diabetes and the importance of a healthy lifestyle as one of the ways of improving their condition.
The group later toured the rodent facility at NMS (pictured), where they saw researchers conducting behavioural tests and blood glucose measurements in mice, and major surgeries in rats and saw diabetes-related eye impairment cell cultures. They also heard about the rigorous animal welfare procedures in place at every stage of the experiments. Read more here.
António Silva, a participant living with diabetes, said: “I have always thought scientists made sure animals were not suffering during experiments, but I was greatly surprised with the extreme amount of care from the researchers towards the animals.”
Also last week, an EARA openness event was held at the newly-formed Gulbenkian Institute of Molecular Medicine (GIMM), in Oeiras (a merger of two EARA members, IGC and iMM), attended by researchers, animal welfare officers and communications staff,.to discuss increasing transparency in animal research communications and how to bring that message to the public
Miguel Prudêncio, leader of a GIMM research group, stressed the indispensable role of animal models in his work developing malaria vaccines. He also highlighted the need for institutions to have proper resources to ensure ethical standards and monitor animal welfare.
Ana Isabel Moura dos Santos, professor at NOVA Medical School, chair of EARA and co-coordinator of the Portuguese Transparency Agreement (TA), discussed the ongoing progress in transparency within Portugal. She noted that while communication about animal research has improved, much more needs to be done, particularly with private institutions and patient associations, and urged them to sign the TA. Read more about the event.