Non-Animal Research
5 Jul 2008
Past projects portfolio
Lung injury
2006 – 2008 Royal Brompton Hospital, London
Development of complex test-tube models of lung injury to replace lung damage experiments on rodents, pigs and sheep.
Gut infections
2004 – 2007 Nottingham University
Postdoctoral Fellowship: Cell culture model of human gut for research into bacterial infections, to replace experiments on infected rats and mice.
Wound healing
2004 – 2007 Cardiff University
Development of a cell-based model of chronic wound healing as an alternative to experimental wounds in guinea pigs, rabbits, rats, mice and pigs.
Breast Cancer
2004 – 2007 Queen Mary’s School of Medicine, London
Three-dimensional cultures of human breast tissue – tracing the changes which result in cancer. Replacing the use of mice in basic cancer research.
Vaccine Testing
2003 – 2007 NIBSC, Potters Bar
Developing an in vitro test for assessing the safety of whooping cough vaccines to replace routine lethal tests on mice.
Non-invasive brain imaging
2004 – 2007 Aston University, Birmingham
Combining two non-invasive brain imaging techniques, MRS and MEG, to find safe new ways to study the effect of drugs on the human brain as an alternative to experiments on rodents and monkeys.
Pain and painkillers
2002 – 2005 Oxford University
Use of functional magnetic resonance imaging to study changes in the human brain and spinal cord, in response to pain and painkilling drugs, as a humane alternative to invasive pain experiments on rodents and dogs.
Computer models for drug testing
2002 – 2004 Sheffield University
Developing a computer program (SIMCYP) to predict drug clearance from human patients, to replace tests in rabbits, rodents and dogs.
Migraine
2002 – 2004 Lancaster University
Development of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) as a non-invasive tool for migraine research with human volunteers. A new approach to advance our understanding of migraine without experiments on cats or rodents.
Kidney toxicity
Co-funded with the Irish Health Research Board
2001 – 2004 University College, Dublin
Development of a cell culture ‘model’ of the human kidney for studying the effects of chemicals and drugs in the test-tube, and detecting substances likely to cause kidney damage, instead of tests in rodents, rabbits, dogs and pigs.
Ageing immune system
Body Shop Foundation Award
2001 – 2004 Birmingham University
Study of elderly patients and test-tube methods to provide new information on the decline of the human immune system with age, and to find new ways of protecting the health of elderly people. An alternative to experiments on genetically modified mice with damaged immune systems.
Synthetic antibodies
2001 – 2003 Cardiff University
Investigation of methods to produce synthetic antibodies (molecularly imprinted polymers) as an alternative to animal derived antibodies, extensively used in biomedical research, testing and diagnosis.
Understanding kidney failure
2000 – 2004 Guy’s Hospital, London
Identification of a toxic chemical that accumulates in the bloodstream of patients with kidney failure— – an alternative to studies of animals with artificially induced kidney failure.
Mathematical models of ageing
2000 – 2003 Newcastle University
Exploration of the complex relationships between human genes, lifestyles, longevity and age-related illnesses, with computer modelling as an alternative to investigations in large populations of rodents.
Cancer gene therapies
2000 – 2003 Glasgow University
Exploration in human tumour spheroids (three-dimensional cell cultures) of the potential for gene therapy to improve cancer radiation treatments, as an alternative to studies in rats or mice with implanted tumours.
‘Fingerprinting’ bacteria
2000 – 2003 Public Health Laboratory, London
The use of MALDI-TOF-MS laser technology and genetic analysis as new non-animal methods for rapidly identifying disease-causing bacteria, to replace tests on guinea pigs and rabbits.
NORINA database
2000 – 2003 Norway
Support for an extensive online database of humane alternatives to replace the use of animals in education.
Lung research
1999 – 2003 Royal Brompton Hospital, London
Application of new analytical techniques to samples of lung tissue from patients with fibrosing lung disease, a life-threatening condition, to identify genetic risk factors, instead of studies in genetically modified and mutant mice, rats, rabbits and hamsters.
Liver disease
1999 – 2002 Newcastle University
Study of patients and cell cultures to investigate a poorly-understood form of human liver disease (primary biliary cirrhosis) and replace experiments on rodents and tissues from dogs. Development of a simple method of testing a patient’s saliva for this form of life-threatening liver disease, one of the commonest reasons for liver transplant.
Meningitis
1999 – 2002 Nottingham University
Establishment of a test-tube system for investigating meningitis infection in human cell cultures, as an alternative to studies of infected infant animals such as mice, rabbits, guinea pigs and pigs.
Heart disease
1999 – 2002 Southampton University
Development of safe methods of studying the arteries of young children, to reveal developmental factors that underlie the causes of heart disease and stroke in later life. A direct study of humans instead of experimentally restricting the development of rats, guinea pigs, sheep or pigs.
Brain tumours
1999 – 2000 King’s College, London
Human cell culture investigation of the potential of naturally-occurring citrus flavonoids as a brain tumour therapy, replacing experiments in rats and mice with implanted brain tumours.
Alternatives in education video
1999 EuroNICHE
Support for the production of a video film by the international humane education group, InterNICHE, demonstrating the use of alternatives to animals in higher education. Translated and distributed worldwide.
Brain damage
1998 – 2001 Oxford University
Demonstration of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) as a safe, non-invasive method of temporarily disrupting parts of the human brain, as an alternative experiments in which monkeys are subjected to permanent brain damage.
Cancer diagnosis
1997 – 2000 Newcastle University
Investigation of in vitro production of antibodies for use in diagnosis and assessment of human breast and skin cancers, to replace standard production methods in mice.
Fighting cancer
1997 – 1999 Nottingham City Hospital
Creation of a new human cell culture ‘model’ for studying the formation of blood vessels in solid tumours, as an alternative to studies of mice and rats with implanted tumours.
Human Tissue Bank
1997 – 1999 Leicester University
Provision of essential equipment for establishment of the UK Human Tissue Bank at Leicester, the first of its kind to supply exclusively human tissues for research purposes throughout the UK.
Dementia
1996 – 2000 Manchester University
Study of human post-mortem brain tissue to investigate a viral risk factor in the development of Alzheimer’s disease, instead of experiments with infected and genetically modified mice.
Hi-tech drug selection
1996 – 2000 Strathclyde University
Development of new non-animal methods of chemical analysis for selecting DNA-binding drugs, and replacement of animal tests in the search for new anti-malaria and anti-cancer medicines.
Diabetes
1996 – 1999 Manchester University
Development of an in vitro model of diabetic membrane thickening, a key process in the development of diabetic blindness and kidney damage, using the microscopic organism, Hydra, to replace experiments on diabetic rats and mice.
Tropical disease
1996 – 2000 Manchester University
Development of a test-tube method to replace the use of infected rats and mice for the culture and study of African trypanosomes, parasites that cause the fatal tropical disease, sleeping sickness.
Cataracts
1996 – 2000 Dundee University
Establishment of long-lived human lens cell cultures for test-tube studies of cataract development, as an alternative to experiments on the eyes of chicks, frogs, rabbits and monkeys.
Skin allergy testing
Body Shop Foundation Award
1996 – 2002 Amsterdam University
Use of human skin cultures for assessing and identifying allergenic and irritant chemicals in the laboratory, to replace tests on guinea pigs.
Epilepsy
1996 – 1999 Aston University
Use of non-invasive brain imaging technology, MEG (magnetoencephalography), to study changes in brain activity in epileptic patients, in particular visual triggers of photosensitive epilepsy. An alternative to studying induced seizures in restrained baboons, as well as cats and chickens.
Arthritic pain
1996 – 1999 Manchester University
Development of a computer-controlled laser simulator for human pain research, and its use in conjunction with brain imaging technologies (EEG, PET, and fMRI) to study pain in human volunteers. New approaches to understanding human pain and developing pain control therapies without experiments on animals, such as rodents, cats and monkeys.
Improving childhood cancer therapies
1996 – 1998 Glasgow University
Improvement of treatment strategies for targeted radiotherapy of neuroblastoma and non-Hodgkins lymphoma by mathematical modelling, to by-pass animal tests on mice with implanted tumours.
Blood vessel surgery
1996 – 1998 Northern General Hospital, Sheffield
Application of ultrasound probe and imaging technology to study vascular surgical technique in patients undergoing heart by-pass operations. Replacing experimental surgery on rabbits, dogs and baboons.
Computer modelling of epilepsy
1996 – 1998 Bristol University
Computer modelling of brain cells to study the basis of epilepsy without animal experiments, in which electrodes are implanted in the brains of rodents to induce seizures.
Human placenta and medicines
1996 – 1999 East London University
Use of donated human placental tissues to study effects of medicines and chemicals in the test-tube, and improve understanding of placental function, in place of animal studies.
Safer pregnancies
1995 – 1997 Queen Charlotte’s Hospital, London
Provision of equipment for the development of a computer model of the human placenta and foetus, for simulation of virtual experiments as an alternative to research on pregnant animals, including sheep, rabbits and mice.
Diabetes
1995 – 1997 Exeter University
Application of laser Doppler perfusion imaging to study microcirculation in diabetic patients, as an alternative to experiments on rats and rabbits.
Dental research
1994 – 1996 Cardiff University
Creation of a computer model to predict movements of human teeth, tooth ligaments and jawbone in response to orthodontic treatments. An alternative to replace experiments on dogs, monkeys, rabbits, cats, rats, pigs and ferrets.
Liver metabolism and drug development
1995 – 1998 Aberdeen University
Use of human liver tissue samples for studying drug metabolism and toxicity, as an alternative to studies on rats or dogs.
Brain tumours
1995 – 1997 Queen’s University, Belfast
Development of a test-tube model of human brain tumour invasion, to replace use of baby mice injected in the brain with tumour cells.
Blood vessel inflammation
1995 – 1998, St George’s Hospital, London
Development of human blood vessel cell lines for studying vascular inflammation in the test-tube, and replace experimental studies in animals.
Mutagenicity testing
1995 – 1997 University of Wales, Swansea
Use of human cell lines to identify mutagens – chemicals that damage chromosomes – and replace animal tests.
Non-animal antibodies
1995 – 1997 York University
Generation of non-animal antibodies from bacteria, to replace painful procedures in mice and rats.
Light-sensitive toxicity
1995 – 1997 North East Wales Institute
Physico-chemical methods of measuring photoactivity of chemicals, to predict phototoxicity without animal testing with guinea pigs, rabbits, rats and mice.
Lung cancer spread
1995 – 1997 Nottingham City Hospital
Development of a test-tube model of human lung cancer spread, as an alternative to studies of tumour spread in rats, mice, rabbits and cats.
Drug safety
1995 – 1997 Aberdeen University
Provision of a freezer for storage of human liver tissue, used to study drug metabolism in the test-tube and replace tests on animals.
Botulinum toxin testing
1995 – 1997 National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Potters bar
Development of a non-animal test for assessing batches of botulinum toxin in vitro to replace lethal tests in mice.
Toxicity testing
1994 Hertfordshire University
Professorial lecture at the University of Hertfordshire entitled “Alternatives to the use of Animal in Drug Safety Testing”.
Alternatives database
1994 Norwegian College of Veterinary Medicine, Oslo
Development and distribution of NORINA – the first extensive database of alternatives to animals in education.
Heart disease
1993 – 1995 Glasgow University
Study of interactions of cholesterol and calcium in isolated human blood vessels, and their role in the thickening and hardening of arteries, replacing experiments in rabbits with artificially induced disease.
Computer cancer tests
1993 – 1994 Surrey University
Assessment of computer systems (COMPACT and HazardExpert ) for predicting chemical toxicity without animal experiments.
Brain scanning and vision
1993 – 1994 Aston University
Validation of magnetoencephalography, then a new non-invasive method of brain scanning, for the study of vision in the human brain, as an alternative to invasive experiments on monkeys.
Cell culture course
1993 Bradford University
Four-day practical workshop to teach the principles and practice of cell culture research, and how cell culture methods are replacing animal experiments, to young scientists.
Clinical research meeting
1993 Heidelburg, Germany
Workshop on new mechanisms for safely studying the heart and circulation in human, and how these might be used to replace animal tests at early stages of drug development.
Neurotoxicity
1992 Hertfordshire University
Pilot study into the potential of human placental cells to replace animal use in neurotoxicity and neurobiological research.
Parkinson’s disease
1991 – 1993 Nottingham University
Culture of human brains cells containing Lewy bodies, characteristic of Parkinson’s disease, to enable research in the test-tube, instead of in animals.
Sunscreen testing
1991 – 1993 University of Wales, Cardiff
Non-animal testing of sunscreens with skin samples from human volunteers, as an alternative to tests on hairless mice.
Vitamin C and cancer
1990 – 1993 Leeds University
Use of gastric biopsy samples from volunteers to investigate the role of vitamin C in the prevention of stomach cancer, as an alternative to experiments on guinea pigs, rats, birds and monkeys.
Blood vessel repair
The June Hall Award for Humane Research
1990 – 1993 Cambridge University
Culture of human blood vessel cells for investigation of blood vessel growth and repair in the test-tube, to replace experiments in rabbits and rats. Abnormal blood vessel growth plays in role in many serious diseases, including cancer, atherosclerosis, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis and diabetic blindness.
Breast cancer
Gillian Skirrow Award
1990 – 1993 Queen’s University, Belfast
Development of human breast cancer cell lines in culture for investigation of drug resistance, instead of in animal experiments.
AIDS research
1989 – 1992 St Mary’s Hospital Medical School, London
Use of human brain cell cultures as a test-tube model of AIDS infection of the central nervous system, and use of cell cultures to look for new anti-AIDS drugs. An alternative to experiments with infected animals.
Kidney damage
1988 Surrey University
Provision of laboratory equipment for tissue culture studies to replace animals in kidney toxicity tests.
Diet and health
1988 – 1989 Oxford University
Investigation into the long-term effects on health of vegetarianism, and in particular risk of heart disease.
Ella Nussbaum Lecture
1988 held at The King’s Fund, London
Lecture entitled: “The rights of non-human animals and their use in research and testing.”
Cancer drugs
1987 Cambridge University
Rapid evaluation of anti-cancer drugs by screening samples of human cells, taken from patients, for DNA damage, as an alternative to animal studies.
Brain damage
1985 Sheffield University
Study of brain cells in culture to investigate factors that influence the formation and survival of brain cell cultures, to replace brain damaging experiments in newborn rats and mice.
Diabetes research
1985 Aston University
Establishment of a pure strain of pancreas cells that continue to produce insulin in culture, to replace the use of animals in diabetes research.
Kidney damage
1984 – 1987 Surrey University
Evaluation of cultured kidney tubule cells as a replacement for animal tests to identify chemicals and drugs that cause kidney damage.
Computer simulations
1984 Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh
Attendance at conference to demonstrate the use of computer simulations for replacing animal experiments by students in medicine and pharmacology.
Carcinogen susceptibility
1984 Nottingham University
Cell culture investigation of genetic susceptibility to chemically-caused cancers, as an alternative to experiments on rats, mice or rabbits treated with cancer-causing chemicals.
Eye irritancy
1982 – 1986 Leicester Polytechnic
Development of test-tube methods for assessing eye irritancy to replace the Draize eye test on rabbits.
Cancer research
1982 Glasgow University
Investigation of invasiveness of human cancer cells from lung biopsies, as an alternative to animals with implanted tumours.
Attitudes to Animals
1981 Sussex University
Thesis: Development of children’s attitudes to animals
Lymphoma
1980 Edinburgh University
Computerised data storage and processing of pooled clinical information, to improve lymphoma treatments without resorting to animal experiments.
Rheumatism
1980 – 1981 Manchester University
Human tissue culture studies of rheumatic disease and treatments as an alternative to studies in animals with artificially inflamed joints.
Drug testing
1980 – 1983 Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh
Use of human tissue biospsy samples for testing drug toxicity, an alternative to animal toxicity testing.