Award for ethical science

Researchers using brain scanners to develop methods of replacing invasive experiments on laboratory animals have won an ethical science award from non-animal medical research charity, the Dr Hadwen Trust.

MEG scanners could replace some animal experiments

The Neuroimaging Research Group at Birmingham’s Aston University received the award for making a significant contribution in animal replacement. The group has pioneered human volunteer research using a MEG (magnetoencephalography) non-invasive brain scanner. The technique measures the magnetic fields naturally present outside the head due to electrical activity in the brain.

Professor Paul Furlong, Research director at Aston University’s Neuroimaging Research Group said: “We are very proud and honoured to receive this award from the Dr Hadwen Trust in recognition of our work. It is our belief that the methods we are helping to develop should ultimately replace some research currently performed on non-human primates.”

The Dr Hadwen Trust first funded the unique MEG project back in the 1990s when Aston operated the only MEG machine in the United Kingdom. Aston’s research was vital in demonstrating MEG’s capabilities and expanding its use.

Nicky Gordon of the Dr Hadwen Trust said: “The World Health Organisation estimates that by 2020, mental health disorders will to be the second most common cause of death and disability. Illnesses like depression, dementia and autism are understandably becoming the focus of new research around the world, and some researchers are arguing for an increase in experiments on monkeys.

“But monkeys’ brains are different to our own and we have a moral responsibility to these highly sentient animals. That’s why Aston’s research has been chosen to receive our award, recognising the immense contribution it has made and continues to make in improving the quality of brain research by replacing monkey experiments with the very latest, cutting-edge scanning techniques.”

The Dr Hadwen trust are also to fund the first Alan and Kathie Stross Research Award – a PhD studentship for work on neuroimaging techniques aiming to replace the animal work. The award will go to Holly Rositer who plans to work on pain and pain relief.