Institute of Animal Technology

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It's officially week!

To kick it off, we wanted to talk about some of the reasons behind why Understanding Animal Research exists - the primary reason being to promote openness and transparency in when, how, and why animals are used in research, which involves providing balanced information on animal use (the benefits of research weighed against potential suffering) and the impacts of animal welfare.

Today, however, we wanted to focus on another reason: the rise of animal rights extremism. This form of extremism emerged in the UK after a group called ‘Band of Mercy’ formed in the ‘80s. The group started a firebombing campaign, which involved the use of arson and planting high-explosive bombs. The most serious incidents included high explosive bombs at Bristol University and against two veterinary researchers in Salisbury and Bristol in 1989-1990.

Misinformation and secrecy surrounding what goes on inside of research laboratories fuel this kind of activism. A huge part of UAR’s mission is to provide accurate information about the use of animals in research, the reasons it is still used in a small portion of research today, the strict regulations put in place to protect animal welfare, and the ways in which science continues to phase in alternative non-animal methods and reduce the number of animals used in research.

You can read more about the history of animal rights extremism in the UK here: https://www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/regulation/animal-rights-extremism/the-early-history-of-animal-rights-extremism

Stay tuned this week for more content from universities and research organisations across the country.

Image credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Animal_liberation_graffiti_in_Turin.jpg

Why I Work with Mice in Research - An Animal Technician's Point of View In this video, we show you the state-of-the-art facilities where the LMB Biological Services Group house breeding and experimental colonies of rodents.We hea...

For day two of , let's talk about animal technicians.

What do they do? Animal technicians are the primary carers of animals in laboratories, responsible for the care and welfare of animals in research. They clean, feed, and provide water for the animals in their care, as well as checking their health and welfare daily and keeping accurate records. They work closely with vets and researchers to ensure that animals are receiving the appropriate care at all times.

What training does this role require? Becoming an animal technician requires extensive education and training. All technicians in the UK must complete multiple qualifications before they can become a licensed animal technician. This helps to ensure that all animals, in every lab are receiving high standards of care.

What type of person becomes an animal technician? As with most animal care jobs, animal technician roles are usually filled by people who already have a passion for animal care and welfare. Animal technicians can come from all walks of life and backgrounds, but there is one thing they have in common, a love of animals and a dedication to their care and welfare.

What do animal technicians think about their work? In a previous interview with us, John Waters, Chief Animal Technician at the University of Liverpool, said, “I think most - if not all - technicians wouldn’t use animals in research if that was an option. Unfortunately, in the current state of things, there are no [equivalent] alternatives to using animals in research. I devoted my career to giving those animals the best life they could possibly have. I put my heart and soul into looking after these animals, and pushing for positive welfare improvements. The animals we care for will go on to develop treatments for some of the biggest disease in the country, like cancer. It is really rewarding to know that you are contributing to such important research."

Thank you to all animal technicians who are devoted to ensuring the highest quality of care and welfare to their animals. 👏

Pictured: Sophie and Billy from Pirbright Institute (who have taken over our Instagram stories today to give you an inside look into their daily animal caretaking responsibilities!)

This morning, the UK Home Office released the annual statistics of scientific procedures on living animals in Great Britain in 2023.

A full breakdown of the are available on our website https://www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/news/animal-research-statistics-for-great-britain-2023 or you can get the raw data at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statistics-of-scientific-procedures-on-living-animals-great-britain-2023/annual-statistics-of-scientific-procedures-on-living-animals-great-britain-2023

This year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is the 96th awarded to research that relied on animals for important discoveries. Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman were awarded this honour “for their discoveries concerning nucleoside base modifications that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19".

Their ground-breaking work was tested in mice and allowed for the development of mRNA technology, which has revolutionised the development of vaccines.

The first RNA vaccine as we know them today was developed in 2012 when researchers successfully vaccinated rats against a respiratory virus. Today, they are on the front lines in the fight against COVID-19 after winning approval from regulators in several countries around the world. Together, more than 13 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses have been given globally, saving millions of lives and preventing severe disease in many more.

96 prizes have used rodents, mostly mice, which were used in 40 of the 114 prizes in physiology or medicine that have been awarded since 1901. Congratulations to this year’s winners!

Thank you so much to everyone who has already submitted a proposal for the Openness in Animal Research Conference! Some organisations have asked for an extension, so we are extending the submission deadline to Monday, 2 October at 10 am BST.

Selected submissions will become an integral part of UAR's first conference dedicated to openness next May.

You can visit our website to learn more: https://www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/openness-conference

In 1928, Sir Alexander Fleming discovered the antibiotic , positively changing the course of modern medicine.

But such a change took time, collaboration, and to happen.

Read our latest article to learn more:
https://www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/why/human-diseases/penicillin

Registration is now open for Congress 2024! We have an exciting new venue for 2024 and we look forward to welcoming you all.

IAT Congress 2024

We are now calling for entries for 2024 from qualified animal technicians and technologists who can demonstrate that they (or team) have made a professional and personal commitment to improving the standards of laboratory animal care and welfare. The closing date for entries is the 20th October 2023.

Nominations will be accepted in a poster format. The winner will receive a free invitation to attend IAT Congress 2024, an engraved glass plaque and a £250 cash award. Additionally the winning poster is displayed during IAT Congress 2024. Details are attached, for further information of the award and the submission online entry form please see

ABTA | instanimaltech The Andrew Blake Tribute Award commemorates the work and life of Andrew Blake, who in 1990 founded the charity Seriously Ill for Medical Research. Andrew suffered from Friedrich’s ataxia, a hereditary condition described as one of the “worst of neurological diseases”. Andrew died in May 2002 a...