1. An Introduction to the Reality of Animal Research

Lab Rat Chat - Episode 01 with Danielle and Jeff providing an introduction into the world of animal research

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Welcome to the very first episode of Lab Rat Chat podcast with Jeff & Danielle!

In this podcast series, Danielle and Jeff will talk about animal research and why it’s important for the continued advancement of both human and veterinary medicine.  We aim to provide you with facts about this field and what’s really happening behind the scenes  We'll have some really exciting guests on this show who are doing great things in this field, so be sure you check out every episode to hear from all of them!

In this very first episode, Danielle and I get the conversation started and talk about some basic things regarding the field of animal research, people and organizations involved in it, and a couple of common misconceptions surrounding the use of animals in research.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Jeff’s background in veterinary science and his experience in overseeing regulations related to animal research
• Danielle’s story of getting into the world of lab animals and her past and current work in the field
• Why it’s necessary to continue animal research
• How animals are housed and treated
• Clarifying the terms; “Animal Testing” & “Animal Research"
• Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) and its role in animal research
• The approval and monitoring process of protocols involved in animal research
• Regulations and laws related to animal research
• How animal research is involved in developing and evolving human medical procedures
• Why it’s challenging for computer modeling or cell culture methods to replace animal research

Notable Quotes:

“There are lots of things that we benefit on a daily basis that people don't even know require the use of animals.”

“We have the USDA, the United States Department of Agriculture, and then we have Public Health Service policy, PHS policy. And between those two, they cover all the species that are using animal research.”

“Out of 108 Nobel prizes that have been awarded in the field of medicine and physiology, 96 of those have included the use of animals.”

Resources & Links:

• Americans for Medical Progress (https://www.amprogress.org/)
• AAALAC International (https://www.aaalac.org)
• PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (https://olaw.nih.gov/policies-laws/phs-policy.htm)