Biology 2672a

1. Biology 2672a Animals in teaching and research

2. “Vivisection” • The practice of working on live (rather than dead) organisms • “the science of life is a superb and dazzlingly lighted hall which may be reached only by passing through a long and ghastly kitchen” • Claude Bernard (1813-1878) • “Father of Physiology” • Coined term Homeostasis

3. There are undeniable benefits to using animals in research • Animal ‘models’ for diseases or basic science phenomena • Considerable medical advances • Enables exhaustive testing of pharmaceuticals (and other things) before use on humans

4. Ethics of using animals as research subjects Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) Animals are sentient and humans are obliged against cruelty Descartes (1596-1650) Animals have no souls, minds or reason Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) The capacity to suffer should be the benchmark for how we treat other creatures

5. Rise of physiology (and vivsection) in the 19th Century • RSPCA (UK) - 1824 • ASPCA (USA) - 1866 • Anti-vivisection society (France) • Started in 1883 by Claude Bernard’s wife (!) • Darwin: • "You ask about my opinion on vivisection. I quite agree that it is justifiable for real investigations on physiology; but not for mere damnable and detestable curiosity. It is a subject which makes me sick with horror, so I will not say another word about it, else I shall not sleep to-night.“ (1871)

6. Modern Views • Generally Utilitarian (greatest common good) • Need to justify necessity • Need to find replacements • Peer review • Animal use committees • Can be viewed as consenting on behalf of the animal

7. Animal rights Peter Singer (1946- ) • Argues against ‘speciesism’ • Equality is generally based on prescription, not fact • Medical use ok if benefits outweigh harm done • Everybody should be vegetarian or (preferably) vegan

8. ‘Animal Testing’ • Safety testing • “pouring cosmetics in rabbits’ eyes” • Now phased out • Cell lines (toxicity), human trials (hypoallergenic) • Still done for most pharmaceuticals prior to clinical trials

9. Regulated animal use • Canadian Council for Animal Care • "The use of animals in research, teaching, and testing is acceptable ONLY if it promises to contribute to understanding of fundamental biological principles, or to the development of knowledge that can reasonably be expected to benefit humans or animals.” • Has power to withhold grant agency money • Policies are administered locally by the University Council on Animal Care (UCAC)

10. The 3R Principle • Replace animal models wherever possible • Reduce numbers of animals used • Refine animal use procedures

11. The 3Rs in Biology 2672 • Replace animal models • Introduction of insect SCP lab (insects aren’t ‘animals’ by CCAC definitions) • Reduce numbers of animals • We use mice on rotation – minimises numbers whilst maintaining relatively low stress for the mice • Refine Procedures • Use tried-and true methods that work fine – so long as students follow instructions and are careful!

12. UCAC • Approve use of animals* for research and teaching • Everything, from handling to invasive surgical experiments • From acquisition to the point where the animal is euthanized • Make case-by-case assessments of proposals *Vertebrates, cephalopods, some large crustaceans

13. UCAC – not much to say explicitly on teaching • ‘Peer review for pedagogical merit shall consist of, at minimum, a review at a department level to be summarized in the Pedagogical Merit Review form and signed by the Chair of the Department’ • ‘Painful experiments or multiple invasive procedures on animals conducted solely for classroom student instruction, or for demonstration of established scientific knowledge cannot be justified’

14. The Procedure • I put together a proposal to use animals in teaching • Includes names of all TAs and the training they will receive • Detailed – 23 pages long + lab manual • Informally reviewed by a veterinarian • Changes made, formally submitted to AUS • Renewal application every year, Full proposal every 5th year.

15. The application • ‘Describe the purpose of your use of animals’ • ‘Describe the possible replacement, refinement and reduction alternatives to animal use, and offer justification if these are not employed’ • ‘Indicate how you have determined your animal numbers’

16. Animal use subcomittee • Director, Animal Care UWO • Biosafety officer, UWO • 2 x profs from Medical Sciences • 3 x researchers from Lawson Health research Institute • 1 x prof from Robarts Institute • 1 x prof from Psychology • 1 x prof from Biology • 1 x technician who works with animal care • 1 x grad student • 5 x others • At least 4 non-users of animals • At least three from outside UWO community • Meets 11 times/year

17. Scientists as public citizens • In performing public funded research, scientists are held to higher standards than private citizens • Fish • specified care and monitoring, painless euthanasia • Vs sport fishing as a private citizen...

18. All very well for medical research – what about non-medical? • Establishing benefits can be harder • ‘Fundamental biological principles’ • Square peg, round hole • e.g. field ecology studies

19. Research animal use in context • 2006: CCAC reports 2,535,989 animals used in research or University teaching • 843,881 Fish (including zebrafish) • 910,540 Mice (about 52 in Biol 272) • 331,560 Rats • Catchable size rainbow trout released in BC lakes in 2006: • 135,745 • Sockeye Salmon catch 2006: • 10,106 tonnes (~3.3 million 3 kg fish) • No stats available for numbers of rats and mice killed in pest control operations

20. Our responsibilities • Avoid unnecessary pain • Avoid wasteful use of animals • Respect animals, never treat them with contempt • Follow this through to making good use of the information • Obligation to treat both teaching and research data as important

21. Ethics of using ‘non-animal’ animals and plants • A Drosophila experiment could use 20,000 flies… • Consideration tends to be for population-level issues • Oversampling • Habitat damage • Nevertheless, we try to respect the animals we work with, and try not to waste life

22. End of Lecture Quiz 3 material

23. Reading for Tuesday • Breathing in Air • Pp 561-572 • Pp 575-579