Research Into Action – CCAC Transparency in Animal-Based Science
AWP alumni Dr. Michael W Brunt conducted his PhD research on understanding the social license to use animals for scientific experimentation and the influence of institutional transparency. Knowledge translation and transfer (KTT) is particularly crucial in applied disciplines, like animal welfare, that aim to improve the lives of animals through research. Translation of academic research […]
Individual differences in rat sensitivity to carbon dioxide
Post-Doctoral Researcher Dr. Lucia Amendola, PhD student Anna Ratuski, and Dr. Dan Weary have recently published an article in PloS One on the individual differences in rat sensitivity to CO2. While CO2 is commonly used for rodent euthanasia, this gas elicits negative emotions in rats, but the negative experience is different between individuals. Authors found […]
Anna Ratuski awarded NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarship
Animal Welfare Program student Anna Ratuski has been awarded the prestigious NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarship for her Doctoral (CGS D) Program! Anna’s current project focuses on housing refinements for breeding rats and their litters, and access to enriched playpens for standard-housed laboratory mice. Congratulations Anna! https://www.grad.ubc.ca/campus-community/meet-our-students/ratuski-anna
Michael Brunt presentation – Applying animal ethics: The use of animals in science
Michael Brunt, a PhD student in the Animal Welfare Program, will be speaking at the “Ethics for Lunch” seminar series about applying animal ethics: the use of animals in Science. All are welcome and no registration required! Come see Michael speak or dial in for video conferencing. Wednesday March 18, 202012:00 PM to 1:00 PMSt […]
More humane ways to kill laboratory mice
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is often used to euthanize laboratory rodents at the end of a research study. A growing body of research has shown that CO2 is aversive to mice and rats. Inhalant anaesthetics, like isoflurane, are a humane alternative to CO2 for rendering animals unconscious. This allows for a two-step procedure: rodents are first […]
Killing them softly – new research shows a better way for euthanizing laboratory fish
A new study just published on the open access journal PLoS ONE shows how practices in research laboratories can be made more animal friendly.