As a researcher, I still remember the discomfort I felt every time I had to sacrifice laboratory animals for an experiment. For decades, animals like mice, rats and pigs have been essential tools in biomedical research. Yet many scientists are asking whether better, more humane alternatives are possible.
Globally, it’s estimated that close to 200 million animals are used in laboratory research each year. While animal models have helped generate major medical breakthroughs, they don’t always reflect how human biology works.
