1
|
Tang BL. Debates on humanization of human-animal brain chimeras - are we putting the cart before the horses? MEDICINE, HEALTH CARE, AND PHILOSOPHY 2024; 27:359-366. [PMID: 38797779 DOI: 10.1007/s11019-024-10209-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Research on human-animal chimeras have elicited alarms and prompted debates. Those involving the generation of chimeric brains, in which human brain cells become anatomically and functionally intertwined with their animal counterparts in varying ratios, either via xenografts or embryonic co-development, have been considered the most problematic. The moral issues stem from a potential for "humanization" of the animal brain, as well as speculative changes to the host animals' consciousness or sentience, with consequential alteration in the animal hosts' moral status. However, critical background knowledge appears to be missing to resolve these debates. Firstly, there is no consensus on animal sentience vis-à-vis that of humans, and no established methodology that would allow a wholesome and objective assessment of changes in animal sentience resulting from the introduction of human brain cells. Knowledge in interspecies comparative neuropsychology that could allow effective demarcation of a state of "humanization" is also lacking. Secondly, moral status as a philosophical construct has no scientific and objective points of reference. Either changes in sentience or humanization effects would remain unclear unless there are some neuroscientific research grounding. For a bioethical stance based on moral status of human-animal brain chimera to make meaningful contributions to regulatory policies, it might first need to be adequately informed by, and with its arguments constructed, in a manner that are factually in line with the science. In may be prudent for approved research projects involving the generation of human-animal brain chimera to have a mandatory component of assessing plausible changes in sentience.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bor Luen Tang
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Health System, National University of Singapore, 8 Medical Dr, Singapore, 117596, Singapore.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Gandia KM, Elliott J, Girling S, Kessler SE, Buchanan-Smith HM. The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland's Approach to Assessing and Promoting Animal Welfare in Collaboration with Universities. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:2223. [PMID: 39123748 DOI: 10.3390/ani14152223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2024] [Revised: 07/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Good zoos have four aims-to conserve species, educate the public, engage in research, and provide recreation-all of which can only be achieved when underpinned by high animal welfare standards. In this paper, we share the approach that The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland's (RZSS) Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park take to animal welfare. We highlight the role that animal welfare research, in collaboration with universities, has had in enabling the zoo to take an evidence-based approach to welfare and to put findings into practice. We share the collaborative process through which we developed and piloted the current animal welfare assessment tools, how they were validated, and how they were tested for reliability as part of a long-term collaboration between the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and the University of Stirling: (1) the RZSS Welfare Assessment Tool, a 50-question animal welfare assessment adapted from the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) Toolkit; and (2) the Stirling Toolkit, a package of evidence-based resources for behavioural-data collection. Our aim is to facilitate standardised, evidence-based approaches to assessing animal welfare which, when finalised, can be used collaboratively across zoos.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristine M Gandia
- Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK
| | - Jo Elliott
- Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, 134 Corstorphine Road, Edinburgh EH12 6TS, UK
| | - Simon Girling
- Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, 134 Corstorphine Road, Edinburgh EH12 6TS, UK
| | - Sharon E Kessler
- Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Rahman M, Sahoo A, Almalki WH, Salman Almujri S, Aodah A, Alnofei AA, Alhamyani A. Three-dimensional cell culture: Future scope in cancer vaccine development. Drug Discov Today 2024; 29:104114. [PMID: 39067612 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2024.104114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture techniques, which are superior to 2D methods in viability and functionality, are being used to develop innovative cancer vaccines. Tumor spheroids, which are structurally and functionally similar to actual tumors, can be developed using 3D cell culture. These spheroid vaccines have shown superior antitumor immune responses to 2D cell-based vaccines. Dendritic cell vaccines can also be produced more efficiently using 3D cell culture. Personalized cancer vaccines are being developed using 3D cell culture, providing substantial benefits over 2D methods. The more natural conditions of 3D cell culture might promote the expression of tumor antigens not expressed in 2D culture, potentially allowing for more targeted vaccines by co-culturing tumor cells with other cell types. Advanced cancer vaccines using 3D cell cultures are expected soon.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mahfoozur Rahman
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shalom Institute of Health & Allied Sciences, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology & Sciences, Allahabad 211007, Uttar Pradesh, India.
| | - Ankit Sahoo
- College of Pharmacy, J.S. University, Shikohabad, Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh, 283135, India
| | - Waleed H Almalki
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Salem Salman Almujri
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, Asir-Abha 61421, Saudi Arabia
| | - Alhussain Aodah
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulrahman A Alnofei
- Psychological Measurement and Evaluation, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulrahman Alhamyani
- Pharmaceuticals Chemistry Department, Faculty of Clinical Pharmacy, Al Baha University, Al Baha 65779, Saudi Arabia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Adami C, Murrell J, Fordyce P. Ethical considerations in clinical veterinary research. Vet J 2023; 300-302:106026. [PMID: 37625615 DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2023.106026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Adami
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK.
| | - Jo Murrell
- Bristol Veterinary School, Langford House, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK
| | - Peter Fordyce
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Kaufmann A. Introducing individual sentience profiles in nonhuman primate neuroscience research. CURRENT RESEARCH IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 5:100104. [PMID: 37576492 PMCID: PMC10415712 DOI: 10.1016/j.crneur.2023.100104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The Animal Research Declaration is committed to establishing cohesive and rigorous ethical standards to safeguard the welfare of nonhuman primates (NHPs) engaged in neuroscience research (Petkov et al., 2022 this issue). As part of this mission, there is an expanding dialogue amongst neuroscientists, philosophers, and policymakers, that is centred on diverse aspects of animal welfare and scientific practice. This paper emphasises the necessity of integrating the assessment of animal sentience into the declaration. Animal sentience, in this context, refers to the recognized capacity that animals have for various kinds of subjective experience, with an associated positive or negative valence (Browning and Birch, 2022). Accordingly, NHP neuroscience researchers should work toward instituting a standardised approach for evaluating what can be termed "individual sentience profiles," representing the unique manner in which an individual NHP experiences specific events or environments. The adoption of this novel parameter would serve a triad of indispensable purposes: enhancing NHP welfare throughout research involvement, elevating the quality of life for NHPs in captivity, and refining the calibre of research outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angelica Kaufmann
- Cognition in Action Unit, University of Milan, Italy
- Center for Mind & Cognition, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Browning H, Veit W. Optimism about Measuring Animal Feelings. Asian Bioeth Rev 2023; 15:351-355. [PMID: 37396677 PMCID: PMC10313588 DOI: 10.1007/s41649-023-00244-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/28/2023] Open
Abstract
While animal sentience research has flourished in the last decade, scepticism about our ability to accurately measure animal feelings has unfortunately remained fairly common. Here, we argue that evolutionary considerations about the functions of feelings will give us more reason for optimism and outline a method for how this might be achieved.
Collapse
|
7
|
Turner PV, Bayne K. Research Animal Behavioral Management Programs for the 21st Century. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:1919. [PMID: 37370429 DOI: 10.3390/ani13121919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Behavioral management programs have been developed commonly for research dogs and primates but rarely has program consideration been expanded to include all research species worked with. This is necessary to reduce animal stress and promote natural behaviors, which can promote good animal welfare and result in more robust and reproducible scientific data. We describe the evolution of consideration for research animal needs and define an umbrella-based model of research animal behavioral management programs, which may be used for all research species. In addition to developing a more comprehensive program, we emphasize the need for regular welfare assessments to determine whether the program is working cohesively and whether any aspects require modification.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patricia V Turner
- Global Animal Welfare & Training, Charles River, Wilmington, MA 01887, USA
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Dung L. Why the Epistemic Objection Against Using Sentience as Criterion of Moral Status is Flawed. SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING ETHICS 2022; 28:51. [PMID: 36305975 PMCID: PMC9616780 DOI: 10.1007/s11948-022-00408-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
According to a common view, sentience is necessary and sufficient for moral status. In other words, whether a being has intrinsic moral relevance is determined by its capacity for conscious experience. The epistemic objection derives from our profound uncertainty about sentience. According to this objection, we cannot use sentience as a criterion to ascribe moral status in practice because we won't know in the foreseeable future which animals and AI systems are sentient while ethical questions regarding the possession of moral status are urgent. Therefore, we need to formulate an alternative criterion. I argue that the epistemic objection is dissolved once one clearly distinguishes between the question what determines moral status and what criterion should be employed in practice to ascribe moral status. Epistemic concerns are irrelevant to the former question and-I will argue-criteria of moral status have inescapably to be based on sentience, if one concedes that sentience determines moral status. It follows that doubts about our epistemic access to sentience cannot be used to motivate an alternative criterion of moral status. If sentience turns out to be unknowable, then moral status is unknowable. However, I briefly advocate against such strong pessimism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leonard Dung
- Institute for Philosophy II, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44801, Bochum, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|