As the end of the year approaches, we reflect on the remarkable scientific discoveries made in 2025 across various fields, ensuring that all methodologies, including the use of animals, are integrated into the most contemporary biomedical research. 

Researchers in the US created a detailed atlas showing how astrocytes, star-shaped support cells in the brain, differ across brain regions, animal species and life stages. The atlas will help to understand how these cells influence brain development, function and disease.

A study in the Netherlands has discovered that corticosteroids, widely used anti-inflammatory drugs, may prolong the effect of hormone therapy for breast cancer in mice.

Researchers in France have developed a vaccine that protects mice against anaphylaxis, a severe and life-threatening allergic reaction. This work could inform the development of new treatments for people with severe allergies.

Research institutions in Spain continue to strengthen their commitment to openness about animal research, according to the latest evaluation report covering 2024 and produced by the European Animal Research Association (EARA).

A study in the US used pigs as a model for a common liver complication caused by intravenous feeding in premature babies. 

A study from South Korea has discovered that astrocytes, a type of brain cell that helps maintain brain internal balance, play an active role in nicotine addiction in rats.  

A US study has discovered that African chimpanzees routinely consume alcohol naturally present in overripe fruit that, given the size of their bodies, would be equivalent to having two drinks a day, suggesting that human addiction to alcohol has an evolutionary root.

Representatives from PETA and Doctors Against Animal Experiments presented to the petition committee of the German Parliament on 1 December, calling for a phased EU-wide end to primate research.

A UK study has shown that bird flu viruses continue to multiply in mice at high temperatures that would normally stop infection, explaining why some flu viruses are more dangerous to humans. 

EARA joined colleagues from several UK research institutions at the 2025 Openness Awards and the 88th Stephen Paget Memorial Lecture, hosted by Understanding Animal Research (UAR) at the Royal College of Physicians in London, 1 December. The event celebrated best practice among signatories of the Concordat on Openness on Animal Research, bringing together institutions committed to transparency. 

Researchers in Sweden have mapped the brain circuits responsible for repetitive and compulsive behaviours in mice, which can inform on disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and addiction. 

In November, EARA advanced its mission on three major international stages — the AALAS National Meeting (Long Beach, USA), the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting (San Diego, USA) and the SECAL National Congress (Bilbao, Spain) — putting patient engagement, openness and responsible communication at the centre of global discussions on animal research. 

A US study has developed a technology using rats and pigs that can stimulate the immune system to heal the heart after a heart attack.  

An EARA Conference satellite event at Berlin Science Week, co-organised by communications organisation Tierversuche verstehen (TVV), Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Max Delbrück Center and EARA, titled "Turning point in health research – Responsibility and communication in dealing with animal research”, featured a panel discussion on the future of biomedical research in Germany. 

Scientists in Israel have found that sounds experienced by mice early in life shape male and female auditory preferences, suggesting that the same experiences affect brain development differently according to sex. 

A new study from Greece has found that animals are increasingly affected by non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as cancer, diabetes and obesity – conditions that are also increasingly common in humans. Understanding the shared factors contributing to these diseases could help improve both veterinary and human health. 

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.