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. 

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.

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).

The second Portuguese Open Week on Animal Research (2–5 December) brought institutions across Portugal together to promote transparency and public understanding of the use of animals in biomedical research. The initiative is part of the Portuguese Transparency Agreement and supported by the European Animal Research Association (EARA). 

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. 

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. 

The Dutch Senate has approved the 2026 budget for Education and Science, including a controversial amendment that will end public funding for primate research at the Biomedical Primate Research Centre (BPRC) by 2030. Starting in 2026, the BPRC must redirect 40% of its subsidy to alternative research methods, increasing by 20% every year. 

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.

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

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.

Researchers in Canada and the US have created a personalised organ-on-a-chip that accurately predicts cancer patients’ response to chemotherapy, which could aid clinical decisions. 

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 from Germany and the US have discovered how the breast cancer drug tamoxifen can increase the risk of tumours in the uterus, in a study using mice. 

Scientists in Canada have discovered how previously traumatised mice became overly sensitive to stress and pain long after healing.  The...

Belgian researchers have developed a new plastic for medical devices that is safe, non-toxic, 3D-printable, and has been tested in human cells and rabbits. 

In 2025, EARA member Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) International marks its 60th anniversary, celebrating a legacy of improving animal welfare in science and education.