Welcome to Drijfveren. Here, people share what motivates them to work towards an animal-free future. This time, the floor is given to Lisanne de Vor. In recent years, she conducted research on antibodies as a medical biologist. Since April, she has been our new science and policy officer. In this role, she gives lectures on animal-free innovation. Lisanne: ‘When I was a student myself, I thought that working with lab animals was just part of the job. Now I think differently about that.’
The first time Lisanne did research was during her master’s in biomedical sciences. ‘I don’t remember if it was literally said, but I did get the idea that it was expected for us to experience working with lab animals during our master, because that was supposedly part of being a researcher.’ And so, during an internship, Lisanne participated in a study with lab mice, where they sought a way to use fewer mice in research on a particular disease model. ‘Looking back, I find it striking that we wanted improvement but still sought it within the animal testing method.’
Commodities in a cage
Because Lisanne did not support the use of lab animals, working with the mice was tough for her. ‘They arrived as commodities in a cage, and then I had to make them sick and eventually put them to sleep. When I stood there with tears in my eyes, my supervisor told me that she had felt the same way the first time.’ Lisanne believes no researcher enjoys causing pain to lab animals. ‘I think most researchers avoid thinking too much about what they are doing because, like I did at the time, they believe it has to be done.’
Animal testing is a choice
It was only when she started her PhD after her master’s that she became acquainted with Proefdiervrij. “At a meeting with all PhD students, Proefdiervrij was one of the guest speakers. I had been feeling for a while that it was not okay to place our safety above animal welfare, but I also thought there was no other way. This was the first time I realized that there is another way.’ And she learned about existing animal-free alternatives.
Text continues after image
Scientific arguments
Now she gives lectures on animal-free innovation to students taking a course on laboratory animal science. She always starts these lectures with her own experience. Lisanne thinks that today’s students are more activist and less likely to accept the status quo. During her first lecture, a student immediately approached her wanting to know how to convince their professor to conduct animal-free research. Lisanne had an answer: ‘Come up with a good alternative and present scientific arguments. Ultimately, every scientist wants to work with the best research model. If a professor also believes that an animal-free model is the best model, they will be convinced.’
Key generation
Lisanne is convinced that science will eventually be 100 percent animal-free. ‘I‘In principle, everyone agrees that the results of animal testing are not always easily translatable to humans, and the technical possibilities for alternatives are developing rapidly.t is up to the young people now in college to ensure that animal-free research becomes the standard. I enjoy inspiring this key generation to choose animal-free research, and I hope that after each lecture, there are students who approach their professor and say: I don’t want to work with lab animals; I know a better way.’
Lisanne’s story shows how difficult it can be to speak out when what is considered ‘normal’ doesn’t feel right to you. Especially when it means going against people with more knowledge and experience. We are delighted that she was willing to share her journey with us and thrilled that she has joined our team to give lectures and sift through heaps of scientific research to make it comprehensible.
Join our LinkedIn group
The Animal Free Gallery is your platform to share successes, exchange knowledge, and network with like-minded professionals and scientists. Together we can make strides towards innovations without animal testing. Join us and celebrate every development towards ethical and innovative research!