Biomedical research on animals is a multimillion dollar program at Ohio State.

In 2002, OSU received $66.2 million in animal research funds which accounted for 22 percent of all research funds last year. The majority of the research funds were sponsored by the National Institute of Health.

There are 680 animal research projects being worked on now at OSU. Some of these projects are AIDS and malaria research in primates, hearing disorders in cats, muscular diseases in rabbits, and cancer and immune system research in rats and mice.

New vaccines, surgery techniques, laser eye surgery, birth control methods and treatments for stress related illnesses have been approved in the last 10 years because of animal research.

Last year, OSU used 77,056 animals for biomedical research, and 71,960 of them were rats or mice. Other animals used included 620 pigs, 524 dogs, 120 cats, 1,883 hamsters and 21 primates. Agricultural research on farm animals has its own identity and is not part of the university’s animal research records.

“Animals are our best models for research, next to the human body,” said Dr. Williams Yonushonis, director of the University Laboratory Animal Resources.

Yonushonis is responsible for ordering all the animals for research. He also regulates animal care and safety in OSU’s three animal surgery rooms, five aquatic facilities and 18 biomedical animal facilities, along with the Institutional Laboratory Animal Care and Use Committee. Wiseman Hall is the largest biomedical facility with 26 animal rooms housing around 3,000 animals.

Medical research has also benefited animals. Over 80 medicines developed for humans are used to heal pets, farm animals and wildlife. “It started with animals, research for the good of people, and now it returns for the good of animals. Sick animals put to sleep years ago aren’t being euthanized today because of our diagnostic capabilities, the way we can handle diseases and the surgical techniques,” said Dr. Richard Fink, former president of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

The AVMA writes certain regulatory guidelines for OSU. “Everything is regulated from proper administration of injections to the temperature and humidity levels,” Yonushonis said.

There are two basic complaints animal research facilities get from animal rights groups. First, there are alternatives to conducting research on animals, such as computer-generated models. Second, the animals suffer a lot of pain. But Yonushonis said neither of two complaints have much ground to stand on at OSU.

“When we are reviewing research protocols we are always looking for alternative methods,;basically animals are our last option. We cannot know for sure the reactions based solely on computer models,” Yonushonis said.

“Our animals experience very little pain. We do not allow our animals to experience much more pain than would occur after a vaccination shot.” Yonushonis said local anesthetics are used and the researchers are trained on how to recognize when an animal is in pain.

Dr. Valerie Bergdall, ULAR associate director and assistant professor in the Clinical College of Veterinary Medicine, instructs classes on animal care. “Basically researchers have to be instructed on how to properly administer injections and how to monitor pain levels for each animal they will be working with.”

“We treat our animals with respect and try to keep them from pain and distress, but we also have research to do and sometimes there is minimal discomfort,” Yonushonis said.