The latest episode of EARA’s #TransparencyThursday series has featured Alexandra Gkrouzoudi, a vet and the animal facility manager at Democritus University of Thrace, Greece.
In the Q&A (found on YouTube and Instagram), Alexandra, who specialises in laboratory animal science after having previously worked with companion animals, explains the strict regulations in research labs that maximise animal welfare and minimise suffering and distress.
“During the experimental studies me and anyone involved grows attached to these animals. So we, before anyone else, don’t want for these animals to suffer,” she said.
She also discussed why mice are necessary in the study of breast cancer in her lab, such as the fact they provide whole-body insights into its effects, and they can be genetically altered to simulate different aspects of the disease, which non-animal methods cannot yet achieve.
She concluded: “Ultimately, while animal research raises valid ethical concerns, it plays a vital role in advancing medical knowledge and potentially saving human lives.”