Animal research
Animal research forms a small but essential part of the work undertaken at Queen Mary. It enables our researchers to make medical advances in areas such as cancer research, heart disease, and transplantation medicine. We only undertake such research when there are no non-animal alternatives available.
Regulation and ethics
The use of animals in research is very carefully regulated.
Any research facility that wants to undertake animal research in the UK must also apply to the Home Office for a licence and must have an Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Board (AWERB) to oversee the application of that licence.
Permission to use animals in procedures is only granted if researchers make a successful application to their institution’s Animal Welfare & Ethical Review Body (AWERB).
Research that involves animals remains a vitally important tool for making advances in our understanding of human and animal health and for improving ways of preventing and treating disease.— Dr Rob Bennett, Establishment Licence Holder
As Dean for Research at Queen Mary’s School of Medicine and Dentistry, I know how important animals are in helping us to find better ways of preventing and treating the diseases that occur in both humans and animals.”— Professor Mauro Perretti, Dean for Research and Research Impact
2019
Species | Number of procedures in 2019 |
---|---|
Mice | 34,962 |
Rats | 399 |
Birds | 19 |
Fish | 12,911 |
Total | 48,291 |
2018
Species | Number of procedures in 2018 |
---|---|
Mice | 28,845 |
Rats | 260 |
Birds | 6,630 |
Total | 35,735 |
2017
Species | Number of procedures in 2017 |
---|---|
Mice | 34,591 |
Rats | 482 |
Birds | 10 |
Fish | 5,338 |
Total | 40,421 |
2016
Species | Number of procedures in 2016 |
---|---|
Mice | 32,628 |
Rats | 608 |
Birds | 184 |
Fish | 7,114 |
Total | 40,534 |
2015
Species | Number of procedures in 2015 |
---|---|
Mice | 37,588 |
Rats | 1,232 |
Birds | 49 |
Fish | 3,355 |
Total | 42,224 |