The UK government has unveiled a new roadmap to accelerate the phase-out of animals used in science by supporting researchers to transition to alternative methods. 

A recent opinion article in The Transmitter by US neuroscientists Cory Miller, from the University of California, San Diego, J. Anthony Movshon, from New York University, and Doris Tsao, from the University of California, Berkeley, raised concerns over the recent policy changes in Europe and the US that would scale back animal research – including in primates.  

A study in Germany revealed that pig pancreas development closely resembles humans, making pigs valuable for studying pancreatic diseases, including diabetes. 

Scientists in the US have discovered how the brain can recover from a distraction to return to the task at hand, in a study using monkeys.  

The first EU-Simia Japan meeting took place at CNRS headquarters in Paris on 27-28 October 2025, gathering over 100 scientists specialising in primate biomedical research. Japanese researchers presented work on immunology, development, neurodegenerative diseases and decision-making mechanisms, while European and North American colleagues shared progress in vaccine therapies and neuro-technologies. 

The first EARA Conference (#EARA2025) took place on 6–7 November at the Max Delbrück Center (MDC) in Berlin, co-organised with MDC and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. The event gathered over 200 participants from 23 countries, including researchers, animal welfare officers, journalists, communicators and policy specialists, to exchange ideas on transparency, ethics and effective science communication.

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.