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Operation Mouse

Part of working at such a great research institution is working with mice. While my first experience as I had mentioned earlier in the blog was sacrificing these animals, my experience now is much more exciting and productive towards the scientific community. I have learned to inject mice and collect mouse tissue for further studies. 

Around Thanksgiving, someone asked me, "don't you feel bad 'torturing' the animals?" While at first I did not know how respond, but then I think about it and I realize that I had to go through so much training and clearances just to be able to set a foot in the animal facilities. Ever step of the way, humane acts are enforced while dealing with animals. Animal models are essential especially for research that is being translated into therapies for various diseases or for research that is used to better understand various diseases. The best thing I can say is, if not animals then would you prefer scientists using humans? It's not easy to "knockout" a gene in humans and it's definitily not possible for scientists to dissect humans and collect whole organs for studies. So what is so wrong in using animal models? I am interested in knowing what people thing. Why is it that animal models seem to be such a huge problem and yet people want results. And if we stop using animal models, then what do you suggest we use to study diseases such as Diabetes, HIV, AIDS, Alzheimers etc. 

While I cannot post pics of my own mice… this is something like what it would be:
Mouse dissection
Learning how to give injections

I am truely enjoying my time in the lab learning so many new things!! I have come to the realization that I LOVE DISSECTING!!! There is something about working with animals, collecting data and feeling that you are one step closer to achieving your dream!! 

~Cell-ebraTez
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