- Foreword
- A few words from Nikos Logothetis, director at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics
- Introduction
- A short introduction to animals in biomedical research
- Cybernetics
- The study of control mechanisms in humans, animals and computers
Dear Readers
I have the greatest respect for all of you who wish to ensure that laboratory animals are treated humanely and not made to suffer needlessly. At the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, we do everything possible to guarantee the well-being of our animals.
Recently, however, a few isolated animal rights activists have crossed the thin line between concerned activism and irresponsible rabble-rousing. We, the scientists and staff involved in brain research, are portrayed as ruthless criminals who torture and kill innocent animals out of pure vanity and random curiosity. Our research methods are presented as cruel, our experiments as pointless, and we, the researchers, as pathologically ambitious and unconcerned with the welfare of our animals. This small group of activists actually maintains that our research makes no contribution to medical progress.
Such statements are simply wrong, whether they spring from simple ignorance or are an intentional misrepresentation of the facts. The time has come for us, the researchers, to provide the public with balanced, open information about our research goals and methods, about the care of laboratory animals, and particularly about the importance of research for the health and well-being of humanity.
To this aim we have assembled a thorough, candid description of our activities on the pages that you are reading right now. It is no easy task to provide the public with detailed technical and scientific information in understandable language. Albert Einstein is often quoted as having said, “Everything must be made as simple as possible, but not any simpler!” I am convinced that he was absolutely right.
On the following pages we will use concrete examples to show why basic research is important for clinical research and application, and we will also explain our methods, the role of animals in our research, and what we do to ensure their welfare.
I hope you will find this website interesting and useful. And I hope that it will equip you with the information you need to weigh the statements of animal rights organizations, to judge for yourself what is true and what is not, and form your own educated opinion on the subject of animals in research.
Sincerely,
Nikos Logothetis
Tübingen, April 2009
Recently, however, a few isolated animal rights activists have crossed the thin line between concerned activism and irresponsible rabble-rousing. We, the scientists and staff involved in brain research, are portrayed as ruthless criminals who torture and kill innocent animals out of pure vanity and random curiosity. Our research methods are presented as cruel, our experiments as pointless, and we, the researchers, as pathologically ambitious and unconcerned with the welfare of our animals. This small group of activists actually maintains that our research makes no contribution to medical progress.
Such statements are simply wrong, whether they spring from simple ignorance or are an intentional misrepresentation of the facts. The time has come for us, the researchers, to provide the public with balanced, open information about our research goals and methods, about the care of laboratory animals, and particularly about the importance of research for the health and well-being of humanity.
To this aim we have assembled a thorough, candid description of our activities on the pages that you are reading right now. It is no easy task to provide the public with detailed technical and scientific information in understandable language. Albert Einstein is often quoted as having said, “Everything must be made as simple as possible, but not any simpler!” I am convinced that he was absolutely right.
On the following pages we will use concrete examples to show why basic research is important for clinical research and application, and we will also explain our methods, the role of animals in our research, and what we do to ensure their welfare.
I hope you will find this website interesting and useful. And I hope that it will equip you with the information you need to weigh the statements of animal rights organizations, to judge for yourself what is true and what is not, and form your own educated opinion on the subject of animals in research.
Sincerely,
Nikos Logothetis
Tübingen, April 2009