One way to ensure a positive experience for mice in research is to use the cupped handling technique when transporting them to a new cage or area. Mice are acclimated to the procedure by allowing them to explore the hands of the person picking them up. This technique…
Dr. Rachel, a veterinarian at the University of Washington, describes the compassionate care provided to ferrets involved in biomedical research. She highlights their social housing, enrichment, veterinary care, pain management, and close monitoring, as well as the university’s adoption program, which helps many ferrets transition to loving homes…
This is Lucy, pictured during a regular visit as part of a program supporting employees experiencing compassion fatigue. Caring for research animals can be deeply meaningful work, and it can also carry an emotional weight. Programs that recognize compassion fatigue and support the well-being of animal caregivers are…
This research mouse is curled up asleep in a nest. Nest building is a natural and important behavior for mice. Given appropriate nesting material, mice gather and manipulate it to create an enclosed space where they can rest and regulate their environment. Providing opportunities for species-typical behaviors like…
The brain controls everything from movement and memory to emotions and decision-making, but there is still much we don't understand about how it works. Rats have contributed to neuroscience research by helping scientists study how different parts of the brain communicate and how brain activity relates to behavior.…
Understanding mental health starts with understanding the brain. Research with rats has helped scientists investigate how brain circuits, chemicals and life experiences can influence behavior, stress and emotions. Scientists can study specific aspects of behavior in rats, along with what is happening in the brain at the same…
Scientists at Texas BioMedical Research Institute in San Antonio are using a type of primate to help prevent birth defects caused by the Zika virus. Texas BioMed is using four marmosets as its animal model for Zika infection. Virologist Dr. Jean Patterson said Zika infection in marmosets is…
New research investigates whether a stroke can affect the diversity of bacterial populations in the gut and whether these changes could influence the brain's recovery process.
Adult tissues retain — and can recover — a memory of their early development, which might be a game-changer for cancer and regenerative medicine
A drug developed for type 2 diabetes has "significantly reversed memory loss" in mice with Alzheimer's disease, and researchers now want to test it on humans. The treatment is exciting for scientists because it works by protecting the brain cells attacked by Alzheimer's disease in three separate…
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