Publications

Effective chair training methods for neuroscience research involving rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)

Background: Neuroscience research using macaques remains fundamental in our endeavours to understand how the human brain functions. Applying the refinement principle of the 3Rs is essential to optimise the monkeys' welfare and still produces high quality science. New Method: Here...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Animal Training, RestraintAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Mason, S., Premereur, E., Pelekanos, V. et al. 2019. Effective chair training methods for neuroscience research involving rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Journal of Neuroscience Methods 317, 82-93.

Automated face recognition of rhesus macaques

Background: Rhesus macaques are widely used in biomedical research. Automated behavior monitoring can be useful in various fields (including neuroscience), as well as having applications to animal welfare but current technology lags behind that developed for other species. One difficulty...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Witham, C. L. 2018. Automated face recognition of rhesus macaques. Journal of Neuroscience Methods 300, 157-165.

The 9 to 5 Rodent − Time for Change? Scientific and animal welfare implications of circadian and light effects on laboratory mice and rats

Rodents, particularly rats and mice, are the most commonly used laboratory animals and are extensively used in neuroscience research, including as translational models for human disorders. It is common practice to carry out scientific procedures on rats and mice during...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Hawkins, P., Golledge, H. D. R. 2018. The 9 to 5 Rodent − Time for Change? Scientific and animal welfare implications of circadian and light effects on laboratory mice and rats. Journal of Neuroscience Methods 300, 20-25.

An inhalation anaesthesia approach for neonatal mice allowing streamlined stereotactic injection in the brain

Background: Investigating brain function requires tools and techniques to visualise, modify and manipulate neuronal tissue. One powerful and popular method is intracerebral injection of customised viruses, allowing expression of exogenous transgenes. This technique is a standard procedure for adult mice,...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Anesthesia & SedationAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Ho, H., Fowle, A., Coetzee, M. et al. 2020. An inhalation anaesthesia approach for neonatal mice allowing streamlined stereotactic injection in the brain. Journal of Neuroscience Methods 342, 108824.

A new group housing approach for non-human primate metabolism studies

Understanding the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) of candidate drugs in preclinical species is an integral part of the safety and efficacy evaluation in drug development. For this purpose, the housing of single animals in metabolism cages has historically...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological Measurement, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Stow, R., Kendrick, J., Ibbotson, N. et al. 2021. A new group housing approach for non-human primate metabolism studies. Journal of Pharmacological and Toxicological Methods 107, 106947.

The effects of housing conditions on baseline cardiovascular parameters and the sensitivity to detect changes in contractility in telemetry-implanted dogs

Introduction: There is a growing weight of evidence to suggest that myocardial contractility is an important parameter to assess as part of IND enabling studies in addition to standard assessments as per the ICH S7A and S7B guidelines. Historically, assessments...

Year Published: 2016Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological Measurement, External Bodily Equipment, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Dog

Citation: Sadekova, N., Boudreau, G., Jalbert, B. et al. 2016. The effects of housing conditions on baseline cardiovascular parameters and the sensitivity to detect changes in contractility in telemetry-implanted dogs. Journal of Pharmacological and Toxicological Methods 81, 60-74.

Comparison of sublingual, facial and retro-bulbar blood sampling in mice in relation to animal welfare and blood quality

Introduction: Repeated blood sampling is a common procedure in laboratory mice, but at present it is unknown which technique has the least impact on the animals when large or repeated blood samples are required. Retro-bulbar sinus puncture is a reliable...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological MeasurementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Gjendal, K., Kiersgaard, M. K., Abelson, K. et al. 2020. Comparison of sublingual, facial and retro-bulbar blood sampling in mice in relation to animal welfare and blood quality. Journal of Pharmacological and Toxicological Methods 103, 106680.

Social-housing and use of double-decker cages in rat telemetry studies

Rat telemetry is widely used for biomedical research purposes and is used routinely in early pre-clinical drug development to screen for the potential cardiovascular risk of candidate drugs. Historically, these studies have been conducted in individually housed conditions which can...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological Measurement, External Bodily Equipment, Housing, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Skinner, M., Ceuppens, P., White, P. et al. 2019. Social-housing and use of double-decker cages in rat telemetry studies. Journal of Pharmacological and Toxicological Methods 96, 87-94.

The influence of facility and home pen design on the welfare of the laboratory-housed dog

We have an ethical and scientific obligation to Refine all aspects of the life of the laboratory-housed dog. Across industry there are many differences amongst facilities, home pen design and husbandry, as well as differences in features of the dogs...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Housing, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Dog

Citation: Scullion Hall, L. E. M., Robinson, S., Finch, J. et al. 2017. The influence of facility and home pen design on the welfare of the laboratory-housed dog. Journal of Pharmacological and Toxicological Methods 83, 21-29.

Welfare of the minipig with special reference to use in regulatory toxicology studies

This paper reviews the animal welfare challenges associated with the use of minipigs in toxicology testing, and compares these to published knowledge on the other widely used non-rodent species (dogs and non-human primates). Welfare challenges arise from housing and management...

Year Published: 2010Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological MeasurementAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Ellegaard, L., Cunningham, A., Edwards, S. et al. 2010. Welfare of the minipig with special reference to use in regulatory toxicology studies. Journal of Pharmacological and Toxicological Methods 62(3), 167-183.