National Antivisection Society
Research projects 2002 - Education
Computer based non-animal alternatives for higher education
A significant number of laboratory animals are used in universities for undergraduate teaching. Primarily these are mice, rats and guinea pigs used to provide isolated tissues, with some larger animals such as rabbits, ferrets, cats, piglets, and dogs being used in smaller numbers. The major animal use occurs in modules and courses where physiology, pharmacology, biochemistry and anatomy are major components. Although the number of animals used in education in the UK is slowly decreasing, approximately 4,700 procedures were carried out on live animals in 2002, in the name of education. Significantly, this figure does not include the far greater number of animals killed for dissection practice or to provide tissues for experiments.
As part of LDF efforts to eliminate the waste of life, we are supporting Dr David Dewhurst of the University of Edinburgh to develop computer simulation programmes as humane learning tools. These typically provide the user with experimental data presented in a form similar to that obtained by the live experiment. The programmes may include factual information, background physiological or pharmacological principles which underlie the experiment, learning activities and self assessment exercises.
In addition, Dr Dewhurst is developing a ‘Simulated Human’ program and says: “Such a development would go a long way to completing the culture change in how teachers of pharmacology and physiology perceive the use of animals in teaching which the established project sought to initiate. After all, in most instances, animal models were only used for teaching because administering drugs to humans was not possible. I would like to try to create a programme with which students could investigate the effects of drugs in a virtual human (rather than a virtual rat or dog).”
To encourage use, the computer simulations will be published at British Pharmacological Society meetings, and promoted through the European Resource Centre for Alternatives.
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