New EARA feature: Why are animals used in basic research?

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. 

Basic research, also known as fundamental research, seeks to understand the biological processes that govern life, without an immediate aim to develop specific applications in clinical practice. Yet this foundational knowledge has been critical in driving major medical advances, from targeted cancer therapies to vaccines and stem cell treatments. 

The feature explains how animals, from fruit flies and zebrafish to mice and monkeys, are used to investigate core life mechanisms. It also highlights breakthroughs from basic research only made possible due to animal research, across multiple fields, including embryonic development, neuroscience, immunology and even quantum physics.  

For example, research at EARA member the Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular Medicine revealed how DNA structure guides limb formation in mouse embryos, while studies in monkeys, which identified distinct networks associated with different brain functions, helped develop deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders.  

The article also examines the growing role of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), including organoids, organ-on-a-chip technologies and computational models, as valuable tools in basic research, while acknowledging that animals remain essential for studying complex biological processes needed to translate scientific findings into humans. 

You can find our other articles on the use of animals in biomedical research here.