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Nature highlights polarised discourse over the value of animal research
Two comment articles with opposite perspectives about the role of animals in biomedical research have been featured in Nature: K. C. Kent Lloyd, from the University of California, Davis, argued that ending animal research isn’t the answer for advancing biomedical research, while Todd J. Herron, from Greenstone Biosciences, California, and co-authors, wrote an opinion article that, by omitting any reference to the limitations of new approach methodologies (NAMs), could suggest that these tools could replace all animal-based science.
While the continued development of NAMs — including models such as cell cultures and organoids that attempt to mimic human tissues, as well as computational approaches — has contributed to reducing the use of animals in certain areas of research, the use of animals is necessary to answer many scientific questions. NAMs are unable to effectively predict whole-organism responses and higher functions such as complex immune reactions or cognitive processes. The discussion should focus on selecting the most appropriate model to answer each scientific question, rather than being framed as “one versus the other”, and on the need to continue supporting the development, validation and implementation of all models.
A polarised and non-transparent discourse not only confuses and misinforms the public and decision-makers but can also fuel an anti-science sentiment that puts at risk biomedical research, public health and the development of new life-changing therapies.
Read EARA’s full digest here.
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How mice’s brains respond to fear and “jump scares”
Researchers in the US have identified a previously unknown brain circuit that controls how mice respond to sudden threats and recover from fear.
A jump scare is a sudden, intense stimulus that triggers an immediate fear reaction, like a loud noise or an unexpected shadow. In cinema, it’s used to shock viewers, but in real life, it mimics natural threats that activate the brain’s survival system. These fear responses, such as freezing or fleeing, evolved to protect animals (and humans) from danger. However, when this system becomes overactive, it can lead to anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
A team at the University of Colorado Boulder exposed mice to a “looming shadow,”, simulating a predator’s approach. On the first day, the mice froze and hid. By the third day, after learning that the shadow posed no real threat, they adapted and stopped reacting.
Using real-time brain imaging and optogenetics, the researchers pinpointed a zone in the midbrain (interpeduncular nucleus or IPN) as the centre of this process. When specific neurons in the IPN were active, the mice froze; when suppressed, they showed less fear.
“The brain’s threat system is like an alarm. It needs to sound when danger is real, but it needs to shut off when it’s not,” said Elora Williams, first author of the study published in Nature. “Identifying the neuronal circuits underlying threat processing and adaptive learning is vital to understanding the neuropathology of anxiety and other stress-related conditions,” concluded Williams.
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New EARA feature: Why are animals used in basic research?
EARA has published a new feature article exploring the vital role of animals in basic research and the advances in non-animal methods in this field.
Basic research, also known as fundamental research, seeks to understand the biological processes that govern life, without an immediate aim to develop specific applications in clinical practice. Yet this foundational knowledge has been critical in driving major medical advances, from targeted cancer therapies to vaccines and stem cell treatments.
The feature explains how animals, from fruit flies and zebrafish to mice and monkeys, are used to investigate core life mechanisms. It also highlights breakthroughs from basic research only made possible due to animal research, across multiple fields, including embryonic development, neuroscience, immunology and even quantum physics.
For example, research at EARA member the Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular Medicine revealed how DNA structure guides limb formation in mouse embryos, while studies in monkeys, which identified distinct networks associated with different brain functions, helped develop deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders.
The article also examines the growing role of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), including organoids, organ-on-a-chip technologies and computational models, as valuable tools in basic research, while acknowledging that animals remain essential for studying complex biological processes needed to translate scientific findings into humans.
You can find our other articles on the use of animals in biomedical research here.
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Pill can print healing gel in rabbits’ gut
Researchers in Switzerland have developed a pill that could be guided inside the gut of rabbits and deposit a biocompatible gel, opening the door to a new type of non-invasive medical interventions.
Injuries in the gastrointestinal tract, such as ulcers and hemorrhages, can only be treated with invasive surgery. Researchers at EPFL developed a capsule the size of a pill that is capable of depositing a gel made of natural compounds in injuries.
First, the researchers applied the gel to artificial ulcers and hemorrhages, showing that it could protect the ulcers from gastric acids and stop hemorrhages. They controlled the position of the pill using a magnet and used a harmless laser that can go through the body to “switch on” the release of the gel.
To check if the process could be done inside the gut, the researchers gave the pill to healthy rabbits and were able to control the position of the pill, guide it to the stomach to deposit the gel, and successfully retrieve it.
“Next, we plan to extend its capabilities into blood vessels and the tissues of the abdominal wall (peritoneum),” said Sanjay Manoharan, author of the study published in Advanced Science. The gel could also be combined with drugs to improve its therapeutic potential.
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