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A Newsletter Exploring
Biomedical Research Issues For Middle & High School Educators
Vol. 1, Issue 3, Fall 2002

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Animal Experiments Are Vital, Says Nobel Winner
By Cherry Canovan
Fromt an article appearing in The Times Educational Supplement, May 24, 2002

Teachers must recognize that experiments on animals are a crucial part of scientific research, a Nobel laureate has told The TES. Sir John Vane, whose pharmacological research won the 1982 Nobel prize for medicine, said that the future of science "needs schoolteachers to recognize that animal experiments are necessary for development of new drugs".

Sir John and a group of other Nobel winners are calling for better science education under the umbrella of the Save British Science campaign. Peter Cotgreave, the campaign's director, said it was crucial that schools put the case for and against animal experimentation in a balanced manner. "Wherever there is a debate among the public and in society, schools must always do their best to teach that fairly and present both sides of the argument," he said.

Leading scientists warned the House of Lords science and technology committee three years ago that animal rights concerns and pupil sensitivities had led to an alarming decline in dissections in biology classes. Nervous schools were also robbing pupils of the chance to learn through experiments for fear of litigation if pupils got hurt, they claimed. However, in a survey of 2,000 students conducted for Science Year, three-quarters of teenagers said that they wanted more hands-on practical experience, including dissection.

David Moore, chief executive of the Association for Science Education, said: "Teachers will always do their best to present a fair discussion. The dilemma is, do they have access to the most recent information? Part of the issue is encouraging that sort of debate among teachers."

Research Models for the Classroom

For students who wish to do biomedical research using a living vertebrate animal without the rules complications or ethical dilemmas of using higher organisms, there are several species of fish that provide excellent opportunities. The Japanese Medaka, Oryzias latipes, and the Zebra fish, Danio, have several unique characteristics that make them superb models for the young researcher. They are extremely accommodating in that they can be conditioned to lay eggs whenever you want them to. By putting their light source on a timer with a 14/10 hour light/dark cycle, they will lay eggs whenever the light comes on. You can adjust that to coincide with when your students enter your classroom or whenever your student is available to work on their research. With a "breeding set" of 8 females to every 4 males in the tank, the males will immediately fertilize the eggs, which remain attached to the female in a small clump of 6-12 eggs. By netting the female and removing her from the tank, the student can easily obtain the fertilized eggs! The second feature of these fish that makes them an exciting model for research is that the eggs are totally transparent. You can actually watch every stage of development, counting the cells as they progress through early stages. You can see a heart beat and watch the blood flow, you can even count somites in the developing embryo. Any work done before the fish hatches is not considered vertebrate animal research according to the rules of the International Science and Engineering Fair, so they are an excellent model for embryological studies. These fish can be purchased from Carolina Biological Supply or Wards Scientific for approximately $35 per breeding set.

Our Mission
The Michigan Society for Medical Research (MISMR) is a statewide nonprofit educational organization whose mission is to promote understanding of biomedical research and testing that use animal models.

Established in 1981, MISMR is made up of the state’s leading research universities, teaching hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, voluntary health organizations, and hundreds of scientists, educators, and students who understand and support the importance of animal research and testing in advancing health care and treatment.

MISMR Educational Projects & Activities

Annual Essay Contest
Each year, MISMR sponsors an essay contest for all Michigan middle and high school students. Students from well over 500 schools in the state have annually participated in the contest to address the benefits of biomedical research. Prizes are awarded.

Speakers Bureau
MISMR volunteers visit K-12 schools and civic community groups throughout Michigan each year to educate the public about biomedical research and to dispel commonly held myths.

Annual Symposium
MISMR's popular annual meetings have often proved to be "standing room only", typically attracting local and national educators and researchers with interactive training workshops and presentations promoting biomedical research.

Human & Animals Enrichment Program
Designed for elementary school students, the Humans & Animals Enrichment Program increases awareness for students of the many contributions people derive from animals through the use of storytelling, discussion groups, slides, and demonstrations with live animals.

We Want to Hear From You!
We want to include your stories, comments, or questions relating to animals in your classroom in upcoming editions of BioFocus. Please email stories to mismr@umich.edu.

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