Using animals in scientific research is often seen as a controversial topic with many opinions and voices on both sides of the issue. Rats are a crucial part of my research—I’m studying the effects alcohol has on brain function and behavior. Working with research animals for over nine years has given me a firsthand look at the humane way research studies with animals are conducted. Join me as I give you a behind-the-scenes look at how we care for our animals in my lab.

Why do scientists use animals in research?

Scientists use animals in research because alternative research methods have limited capabilities. Cells in a petri dish behave differently than cells in a living creature. We can’t measure behaviors in cells such as intoxication or withdrawal from alcohol. Computer models and deep learning are great for identifying potential targets (e.g., brain regions of interest) or classifying behaviors from video footage (e.g., recognizing a rat that is completely still compared to one that is moving). But a living animal lets us test the potential target or teach the deep learning software to identify what we want to look at. In fact, this software needs examples to learn from, such as videos of animals performing actions so it can “learn” to identify them.

How do we care for research animals?

The number one responsibility in my lab is the care of our animals. Everyone who joins the lab is trained in this area. We all learn how to properly handle rats, regardless of prior handling experience. I trained on administering injections extensively—how to properly hold the rat, recognize and minimize the behavioral signs of distressed rats and identify good and bad injections based on the rat’s behavior. The same rigorous training applies to all the animal work in my lab.

Lab personnel work collaboratively with the full-time staff at the animal facility. While wild rats that roam cities typically forage for food and may end up stuck in a trap, our animals have their own team of caretakers, including veterinarians. The caretaker team changes the animals’ cages, supplies enrichment materials (depending on the species, this could include popsicle sticks to chew on, cotton squares to make nests with or tents to lie in), replenishes food, maintains an ideal range of temperature and humidity, and provides health care.

We work hard to protect our rats from disease. In addition to donning a face mask, hair bonnet, gloves, shoe covers and gown when entering the facility, lab members aren’t allowed to have pet rodents to make sure diseases aren’t passed from pets to our rodent colony.

In addition to these animal care measures, our protocols have been approved by the University of Illinois-Chicago’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). All institutions performing animal research in a federally funded lab must have an IACUC, which confirms that the researchers’ procedures comply with the highest animal welfare standards.

Where does animal research go from here?

Animal research is extremely beneficial and bringing it to a halt would negatively affect society. To help animal research thrive, it’s important for researchers to require rigorous training on animal handling for all personnel, instate a zero-tolerance policy for animal mistreatment, ensure collaboration with the care team at the animal facility, and confirm all protocols are operating under the high humane standards set by the IACUC. A mindset like this will ensure that animal research flourishes and vital scientific discoveries from these studies continue.