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Understanding Animal Research @animalresearch.bsky.social · 2h

Fear keeps us safe - but when overactive, it can drive anxiety & PTSD.
With a new Discovery Award, Prof. Tiago Branco will explore how genetics & experience shape threat sensitivity in mice to unlock new treatments.

🔗 www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/news/unlocki...

#AnimalResearch

Unlocking the secrets of fear in mice: a Wellcome discovery award

www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk

Understanding Animal Research @animalresearch.bsky.social · 1d

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2025 has been awarded for uncovering how the immune system distinguishes between harmful invaders and the body’s own tissues.

Take a look at our summary for key stats and facts about the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

#AnimalResearch #NobelPrize

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Understanding Animal Research @animalresearch.bsky.social · 16d

Our Head of Policy & Media, Chris Magee, featured on the Sounds of Science podcast to unpack new FDA & EU directives on animal research, public misinformation (dating back to Darwin!), and the future of alternatives.

🔗 Tune in here: www.criver.com/eureka/regul...

Regulations and Realities in Lab Animal Use | Charles River

Explore evolving global policies on lab animal use, FDA and EU directives, and the push toward validated non-animal research alternatives.

www.criver.com

Understanding Animal Research @animalresearch.bsky.social · 27d

New research in mice is challenging traditional neuroscience.

Scientists have found that decision-making is spread across the whole brain, recorded from 650,000 neurons in 279 regions.

🔗https://wellcome.org/news/first-detailed-map-brain-activity-reveals-decision-making-mice

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Understanding Animal Research @animalresearch.bsky.social · Sep 9

The NHS has approved a new daily pill – linzagolix – for endometriosis.

Animal studies helped scientists prove its safety & effectiveness. Now, patients finally have a new option.

🔗 www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/news/the-ani....

#Endometriosis #WomensHealth

Understanding Animal Research @animalresearch.bsky.social · Sep 8

New research finds that older cats with dementia develop brain changes strikingly similar to humans with Alzheimer’s.

This could open doors to treatments benefiting both people and pets.

🔗 www.sciencefocus.com/news/cat-dem...

#Alzheimers #AnimalResearch #MedicalResearch

Cats get dementia too. And they might be the key to new human treatments | BBC Science Focus Magazine

New research has found that our feline friends develop dementia in a similar way to human Alzheimer’s Disease, opening the door to further research.

www.sciencefocus.com

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Understanding Animal Research @animalresearch.bsky.social · Sep 5

Oxford researchers have discovered a new “pain gene” that could lead to safer, more effective treatments for chronic pain.

Using genetic data from people - and confirming results in mice - the team revealed how nerve cells send pain signals.

🔗 www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-08...

#AnimalResearch

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Understanding Animal Research @animalresearch.bsky.social · Sep 2

Using transparent zebrafish embryos, scientists at @crick.ac.uk filmed beating hearts in 3D and revealed how cells stretch + move to build vital structures.

🔗 www.crick.ac.uk/news/2025-08...

#Zebrafish #AnimalResearch

Investigating the rhythm of heart development

New research in zebrafish shows how embryos build a functional heart that keeps beating for life.

www.crick.ac.uk

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Understanding Animal Research @animalresearch.bsky.social · Aug 22

What makes some brains more threat-sensitive than others?

Prof. Tiago Branco and his lab just received a Wellcome Discovery Award to study this across different mouse species; it could lead to breakthroughs in how we treat anxiety & PTSD.

🔗 Full story: www.sainsburywellcome.org/web/research...

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Understanding Animal Research @animalresearch.bsky.social · Aug 20

Human cell cultures instead of animals? A UK team have developed a cell-based test for botulinum and tetanus toxins that’s 10x more sensitive than mouse testing.

Will this be the new global standard for toxin testing?

🔗 www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/news/replaci...

Replacing animals with human cell cultures in pharmaceutical toxin safety tests

www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk

Understanding Animal Research @animalresearch.bsky.social · Jun 3

Being open about #AnimalResearch means building trust with the public, helping people understand that this is essential work that is done for the benefit of society.

#Openness #AnimalTesting #BOARD25 #transparency

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Understanding Animal Research @animalresearch.bsky.social · May 27

#Herpesviruses occur in all vertebrates from mice to elephants and also in birds, turtles, reptiles, fish and even oysters. Baboons are no exception.

More info : www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/news/ten-ani...

#AnimalResearch #AnimalTesting

Understanding Animal Research @animalresearch.bsky.social · Apr 25

New research #InMice from @cambridgeuni.bsky.social suggests a common diabetes drug, Metformin, could be effective in preventing leukaemia.

ow.ly/IAvF50VG9VJ

#AnimalResearch #AnimalTesting

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Understanding Animal Research @animalresearch.bsky.social · Apr 16

The search for a gene responsible for congenital deafness has moved a step closer thanks to a new study from @kingscollegelondon.bsky.social

Computer-based methods were used to predict more than 150 potential Six1 targets in ear progenitor cells from chick embryos.
www.kcl.ac.uk/news/candida...

Candidate deafness genes revealed in new study

New candidate genes which could be responsible for deafness have been identified.

www.kcl.ac.uk

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Understanding Animal Research @animalresearch.bsky.social · Apr 7

Even just thinking you’re hungry could change your immune system – new research #InMice @uniofmanchester.bsky.social

"In a recent study in mice, we found that simply perceiving hunger can change the number of immune cells in the blood, even when the animals hadn’t actually fasted." #AnimalResearch

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Understanding Animal Research @animalresearch.bsky.social · Mar 31

Will Non-Animal Approaches Replace Some or All of Animal Testing?

Read here: www.criver.com/eureka/will-...

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Understanding Animal Research @animalresearch.bsky.social · Mar 26

What animal research was behind the 2025 Brain Prize?

Learn more about the details of the animal studies in our new article: www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/news/the-ani...

Understanding Animal Research @animalresearch.bsky.social · Mar 21

New research from the University of Cambridge has uncovered how aspirin might prevent cancer metastasis. The study, conducted in mice, found that aspirin blocks a molecule called TXA2, which normally suppresses immune cells that fight cancer.

www.cam.ac.uk/research/new...

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Understanding Animal Research @animalresearch.bsky.social · Mar 18

For many people who work with animals in research, it can be difficult to know how to discuss the subject with people. This webinar aims to help you prepare for the moment when asked: ‘So, what do you do?’

This webinar is open to everyone.

Register: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/419177...

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Understanding Animal Research @animalresearch.bsky.social · Mar 12

In the decade since the creation of the Concordat on Openness on Animal Research, 64 signatories publish statistics on the number and species of animals used in research. Before 2014, that number was 0.

Transparency is the best way forward in improving research, animal welfare, & public dialogue.

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Understanding Animal Research @animalresearch.bsky.social · Feb 27

Did you know birds have accents?

Some birds develop completely new phrases within their songs creating what have been described as “dialects.”

Learn more: www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/news/did-you...

Did you know … Birds have accents

www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk

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Reposted by Understanding Animal Research

aRukon @arukon0.bsky.social · Feb 25

‼️ Empowering Animal Lab Workers to Share Their Stories —
@whenwejustify.bsky.social’s 3Rs webinar is now on YouTube! 📺✨

Watch it here 👉 youtu.be/tFFXUqV0a7g

🔹 227 participants
🌍 26 countries
💡 Insights on #3Rs & #AnimalResearch

#LabAnimalScience #aRukon

3Rs Webinar: The Case for Justify: Empowering Animal Lab Workers to Share Their Stories

YouTube video by BerlinerLandestierschutzbeauftragte

youtu.be

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Understanding Animal Research @animalresearch.bsky.social · Feb 21

A new treatment first found successful in mice has officially shrunk the tumour of a man living with advanced #LiverCancer in half.

Learn more: news.stv.tv/scotland/man...

#AnimalResearch

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Understanding Animal Research @animalresearch.bsky.social · Feb 20

In a historic decision, the US FDA has approved the first clinical trial to test whether pig organs can be safely implanted into humans. Six patients will be receiving kidneys from genetically modified pigs.

Learn more more: www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/news/the-sci...

#AnimalResearch

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Understanding Animal Research @animalresearch.bsky.social · Feb 13

Check out this great video from the Foundation for Biomedical Research about the critical role of the naked mole rat in medical research: youtu.be/qFK-UtXx7Zo?...

The Naked Mole Rat: A Small Yet Vital Partner in Biomedical Research (2021)

YouTube video by Foundation for Biomedical Research

youtu.be