Ethics in Animal Research Guest Speaker – Dr Corinne Alberthsen
Have you ever wondered about the process by which research is approved? On Thursday 5 May, the QAHS Psychology department were pleased to welcome Dr Corinne Alberthsen via Zoom to discuss the Ethical Guidelines behind Animal Research. The students listened with interest as Dr Alberthsen brought the Year 11 current unit on Animal Research in psychology to the real world – providing context for the use of animals in translating models to usable treatment options. Dr Alberthsen even showed the students how mice can ‘sing’.
Classroom discussions ensued about the extensive process between research proposal and approval, and of the maintenance of the three guiding principles: Reduce the number of animals required for research purposes to the minimal number required to generate usable data; Refine the experimental techniques to minimise pain and suffering to animals; and Replace animal research with computer simulations or other methods wherever possible. Data shared by Dr Alberthsen about the number of animals used for worldwide food consumption compared to animal research was another provocative topic for discussion.
Students left Dr Alberthsen’s lecture buzzing with ideas about future research topics, timely as they embark on their Extended Essay journey.
Julie Bertwistle
TOK Co-ordinator, Psychology and English teacher