Introduction
Scientific research is essential to solve problems and gain knowledge of both physical and theoretical aspects of the humans, wildlife, the planet, and the universe. The use of animals within scientific research has been custom since 3rd or 4th BC, documented in Ancient Greece from researchers such as the renowned Aristotle (https://www.nature.com/articles/3302371). In 1999, 9.8 million vertebrate animals are used for testing for eleven years, with estimates in laboratory animals used being between 28-100 million in 2005(REACH, 2003; ALTEX, 2018).
The use of animals is not limited to biological research; This allows researchers to understand how ecosystems and dynamics of species population work, enabling industries to improve animal welfare and success of novel procedures and potentially reduces costs when conducting experiments as knowing the behaviours and social dynamics of an animal can prevent unnecessary experiments or unreliable results; 2007).
Identifying problems within a topic is an essential part of a research project. Working on problems can strengthen a matter previously researched, analyse newly found gaps in knowledge, or weaknesses within a previous study area which were poorly executed. Regardless of the origin of the problem, conducting the research projects needs to be appropriate, and be a significant addition to the field in question (https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=J2J7DwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=how+to+find+problems+to+research&ots=cutiGBRKfn&sig=Oo1cv5AEO5DssRXCuNBDxMWfCLk&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=true).
Despite that fact that finding a problem to research is key, the researcher has to take into consideration the most appropriate research subject to test on. The researchers need to ensure that the organism used acquires the biological processes that can correctly test the problem they are working on to yield reliable results (Akhtar, 2015). This is especially prevalent in biomedical research and experiments to improve human health (Akhtar, 2015). Using various examples of recent research studies, the statement from Dr Sydney Brenner “Choosing the right organism for one’s research is as important as finding the right problems to work on” will be discussed.
Extensive quantitative and qualitative research on current work on the field can be carried out to explore and define the questions the researcher wants to address. As the experiment is executed, the direction of the hypothesis and questions brought up may change to ensure the problems that are focused on are correctly answered (ijoc.org).
Aside from this systematic approach, researchers can find problems to work on by taking a cautious approach to other researchers to work, questioning the methods and processes in which were used to conclude their findings.
To elaborate, Mercer (1973) had uncovered that researchers that undertook projects regarding ‘mental retardation’ in students had articulated their research using IQ tests. These tests had shown that students from public schools in Riverside, California that is of Black and Chicano ethnicity or in poverty, entered into school career with ‘borderline mental retardation disease’ and finished school cured of the disease. However, after reviewing the scientific methods which Mercer had employed, were not ‘labelled’ precisely, and that the study was corrupted by political viewpoints (Bronston, W. 1974).
Another method to help a researcher uncover problems to work on is focusing on research designs that are not enforced by conventional design methods by research authorities. Known as process analysis, the approach focuses on observations which may be considered unusual or insignificant to carry out in research within the field.
Finding the Organism
Model Organisms
Model organisms such as fruit flies, mice, and yeast which are used regularly as proxies in research related to human health and medicines. These organisms have similar biological processes or genetics as humans, and especially with species such as fruit flies, nematode worms, and mice, the ethical dilemmas a less prominent than in larger species, such as primates and canines.
However, researchers may rely too heavily on using model organisms for their research. They are readily suggested for the use in experiments, rather than a less commonly used species, even if the latter offers a more fitting for the research. Furthermore, only using model organisms, which the variety of species under the category is limited, there is only so many answers that the species can provide to a problem, which can prevent the research from obtaining a more detailed answer, which might have come with using a novel research organism (Bolker, J. the use of fruit flies (Drosophila) alongside moulds and yeasts have helped uncover the basic process and relations between internal circadian clocks (the sleep-wake cycle) and issues such as insomnia, obesity, and depression (National Institute of General Medical Sciences, 2018). Experiments and observations using rats and mice have enabled researchers to understand the biology of molecules that cause cancer cells to develop (nigms.nih.org).
Genetic Similarity
For research focusing on human health, genetic similarity between the organism tested on and humans is a key factor in the decision in choosing the right organism. The result of the administration of a medicine, for example, may cause a positive effect on a diseased organism but can be negative when administered in the human trails if the organism is chosen is not genetically similar to humans (Akhtar, A. For example, if the study a researcher decides to focus on is an inflammatory disease, mice may not be the best choice in an organism, as it has been suggested that they have notable differences in genomic response to inflammatory matters such as sepsis and trauma (Kelly, B. 2013)
Morals and Ethics
Unique in the UK, the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 expresses requirements to protect the wellbeing of animals used for scientific experiments, enforcing that every research project involving animals has to have a detailed assessment of the experiments proposed, the species and the number of organisms used, which is then weighted by how using these species can potentially benefit the project. With Germany being the only other EU country to enforce similar requirements, the researcher will have to analyse the requirements of the specific country they are carrying out their research and ensure the organism they are considering of using fits into the legislation in place (Festing, S.
If the animal chosen for wildlife research projects involves capture and release, then the researcher will have to consider the process of getting the relevant paperwork processed to carry out such tasks. Researchers attempting to answer an ecological or wildlife problem can abide by the three R’s; The three R’s are the ethical and legal controls created by Russell and Burch (1959) for laboratory animal testing can be applied onto wildlife research (Curzer, H. decreasing the volume of individuals or ecosystems targeted for the research to reduce potential harm, whilst still gaining sufficient data
Refinement; decreasing the damage caused per individual or geographical area researched (Curzer, H. et al, 2013)
With these controls applied, researchers can condense their potential research organism with full conviction that they have limited the ethical problems and potential harm caused to the best of their ability, without compromising the legality of their results.
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