This week, the popular German YouTube channel Tomatolix published a behind-the-scenes video exploring animal research at EARA member Hannover Medical School (MHH). The video offers a clear example of transparency in action, with scientists openly explaining why some research still requires animals and how efforts are being made to minimise harm and develop alternatives that could reduce their use. 

Felix, the channel’s host, witnesses how animals are housed and cared for, including controlled breeding areas and standard housing rooms where mice and rats receive environmental enrichment such as nesting material and tunnels.  

The video also shows several research procedures. Felix collects faecal samples from germ-free mice to study the gut microbiome, observes heart ultrasounds in anaesthetised rats following heart attacks, and observes a pig undergoing a CT scan to monitor a genetically modified lung transplanted years earlier. 

These studies aim to improve treatments for conditions such as heart failure and organ rejection and rely on whole-body systems that cannot yet be replicated without animals. The video also features alternative methods such as organoids, while acknowledging their current limitations. 

By opening its doors, MHH demonstrates how transparency can foster a more informed public discussion about animal research and its continued role in responsible biomedical science.