Researchers in Belgium have discovered, in a mouse study, that a gene mutation long linked to psoriasis also affects gut function. Psoriasis is a chronic, non-contagious skin condition caused by an overactive immune system. It leads to red, scaly patches and skin inflammation and may affect other organs, including the gut.  

EARA’s Patient Discovery initiative, aimed at raising awareness about the use of animals in research among patient groups and creating a space for patients to voice informed opinions about animal research in public discussions, has had a successful Discovery Day in Belgium with the European Federation of Neurological Associations (EFNA) and hosted by EARA member KU Leuven.

EARA has published a new feature article exploring the vital role of animals in basic research and the advances in non-animal methods in this field.

Researchers in Switzerland have developed a pill that could be guided inside the gut of rabbits and deposit a biocompatible gel, opening the door to a new type of non-invasive medical interventions.  

Researchers in the US have identified a previously unknown brain circuit that controls how mice respond to sudden threats and recover from fear. 

Two comment articles with opposite perspectives about the role of animals in biomedical research have been featured in Nature.

The Biomedical Primate Research Centre (BPRC), an EARA Member in Rijswijk, the Netherlands, hosted around 100 visitors during the Dutch Weekend of Science. 

Researchers in Italy have discovered that feeding young rats a high-fat, low-carbohydrate (ketogenic) diet protected them from behavioural effects of prenatal stress, suggesting that changing nutrition could prevent mood disorders.  

Researchers in Germany and Austria have discovered that the acidic environment inside tumours plays a key role in promoting cancer survival and growth.  

Researchers in Sweden have discovered what changes in the brain of mice that unlock the so-called maternal aggression. 

Researchers in the US have found that amyloid beta, a hallmark in Alzheimer’s, can strengthen immune responses and reduce tumour growth in mice. 

A team based in the UK and Italy has developed a method to monitor a key brain alteration found in Alzheimer’s disease in the brain of living, freely moving mice using optic fibres. 

Researchers in Canada were able to mimic children’s response to cancer therapies in zebrafish larvae, which could provide a platform to inform clinical decisions in real-time.

Scientists in the US, in a study using gerbils, have kept tissue from a crucial inner ear organ alive outside the body, creating an unprecedented system that could allow researchers to understand how hearing works and test potential treatments for hearing loss. 

Researchers in Portugal and France discovered that the spinal cord plays a crucial role in sexual behaviour in mice and rats, opening new ways for treating sexual dysfunction in humans.

A prominent gene therapy company has announced a groundbreaking therapy for Huntington’s disease that slowed disease progression by 75% in human clinical trials.

A new survey by the Netherlands National Committee for the protection of animals used for scientific purposes (NCad) has revealed that a substantial proportion of Dutch academics remain doubtful about the prospect of animal-free science.  

Researchers in Germany and the UK have discovered a compound produced by bacteria that may reduce colorectal cancer growth and enhance chemotherapy response, in a study using worms and fruit flies. 

Queen’s University, an EARA member, has strongly defended its decades-long use of dogs in biomedical research, following Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s announcement that the province will introduce legislation to ban the use of dogs and cats in science.

Researchers in France have discovered that stress during pregnancy can make the progeny susceptible to develop eczema, in a study using mice.