Panel discussion

“The future of animal research – navigating the landscape”, with panelists Andreas Nieder, Frederic Römschied, Ivana Jaric and Maria-Patapia Zafeiriou, and moderator Roman Stilling

In response to growing public concern regarding the ethics and validity of animal research, multiple European countries have put forward increasingly strict regulations on the experimentation with animals. Non-governmental organizations and the European Commission have urged and supported the exploration and advancement of alternative methods, such as in silico computational models and organoids. However, animal models are still being used ubiquitously in neuroscience research, from studying molecular and physiological interactions to investigating animal behavior and cognition. What are the consequences of these prohibitive restrictions to the animals, scientists, and general public? If there are alternative methods available, why are neuroscientists still conducting experiments on animals? How should neuroscientists navigate the current landscape for animal research?