Mouse studies often fail to replicate in surprising ways. Let me enumerate some of the ways:
1. Mice handled by male scientists feel less pain. The finding holds true when a female scientist does the experiment but holds a t-shirt, previously worn by a man, near the mouse. The effect fades after 30 minutes.
2. Mice spend less time licking an irritated part of their body when a human is nearby, “even if that ‘person’ is a cardboard cutout of Paris Hilton.”
3. Mice raised at five different animal facilities in Europe, under otherwise identical conditions, had “persistent differences in body weight” and behavior.
4. If two different scientists at the same university carry out the same experiment on mice, their results will be MORE replicable than if the same exact experiment were carried out by the same person at separate universities.
5. Mice that give birth in cages with little toys or knick-knacks produce more pups. Those pups are larger after 21 days.
6. “Mice housed on deep bedding had smaller adrenal, kidney, liver and heart weights as well as larger body and tail lengths compared with groups kept on shallow bedding” after just 12 weeks, according to one study.
7. Animals stored on higher shelves are more stressed and have impaired immune systems, probably because these areas are closer to lights and vibrate more. Mice on the top shelf of a rack receive 20-80x more light than mice housed at the bottom.
8. Mice exposed to even dim light during the night (e.g. an LED on a computer monitor) “had a body mass gain…about 50 percent more than other mice that lived in a standard light-dark cycle.”
9. After just four weeks, mice exposed to a dim light during the night ate more than those in complete darkness. (Mice, like humans, raid the proverbial refrigerator when they can’t sleep.) Many genes linked to inflammation were also activated.
10. Mice kept in cages with wood chip bedding eat about 1.5 grams of their mattress every day. This changes the bacteria in their microbiomes.
11. (Not about replication, but) about 80% of drugs are tested only on male mice. Even though some drugs, notably Ambien, are more potent in females and cause more side effects.
12. About 6% of all mouse genes are regulated in sex-specific ways. The expression level of more than 1,000 genes varies between males and females, and the level of another 600 genes wobble, up and down, during a female’s estrous cycle.
13. Grain-based food usually contains unknown amounts of phytoestrogens, which change the onset of an animal’s puberty.
14. The standard diet for mice, called AIN-93, hasn’t changed in 30 years. But manufacturing of that food HAS changed: Even if you use “the same grain-based diet used in the past by others, its composition will likely differ.” In other words, the same food used in mouse studies today vs. the 1990s is different, even if its name is unchanged.
15. Mice exposed to a regular, 37 Hertz magnetic field spend less time exploring open spaces, and more time sleeping.
16. Mice are kept in rooms between 69 and 79 degrees F. “But the natural comfortable temperature for mice is warmer — between 30 and 32 degrees Celsius (86 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit).” Colder mice experience more stress, their tumors grow faster than mice kept in warm rooms, and “mice genetically modified to develop obesity only gained a lot of weight at warmer temperatures but not at colder temperatures.”
All links at source below. These studies make for fun reading materials.
Our work on the progression of Barrett’s esophagus into adenocarcinoma was published in Developmental Cell. Our findings suggest the need for treatment paradigms that go beyond targeting cancerous cells to incorporate stromal reprogramming. https://t.co/83abDv1pf3
15% of the drugs in the US’s development pipeline were made by companies headquartered in MA, which wouldn't be possible w/o government investments. Funding cuts leave this ecosystem at risk. Learn more in @BostonGlobe. https://t.co/pebj7wQCcw
Is animal testing becoming obsolete? Not yet, but on yesterday’s episode of @OnPointRadio, I spoke with @MeghnaWBUR about it's used in drug development and how Organ Chips, organoids, and AI, might be used to enhance, and one day replace, these methods.
https://t.co/RHzP3TqS4B
The Trump administration has launched a Blitzkrieg on science and academic freedom. As researchers, we must use our voices to advocate for science to protect patients, the economy, and truth itself. Read more in my op-ed in @TheScientistLLC.
https://t.co/W0waPa3ChU
I’m so excited to announce the publication of this important paper in @BioMedCentral showing the value of Organ Chips for personalized medicine and clinical care in esophageal adenocarcinoma.
https://t.co/a0ugDBNT2G
Whether it’s due to concerns for animal welfare or a desire for more successful clinical trials, more people are recognizing the importance of finding more accurate alternatives to animal models, like Organ Chips. Read more from @business.
https://t.co/ZqTMUXbtQt
Boston’s high concentration of top universities, world-class hospitals, and venture capital firms makes it a perfect ecosystem for biotech innovation, but it's also left us vulnerable to the impact of political decisions. Read more from @TheEconomist.
https://t.co/cbDDvjNLAB
I spoke with Roland Pease on the @BBC's Science in Action about the timeline for scientific innovation, the valuable partnership between the U.S. Federal Government & universities, & the economic, intellectual, & medical impacts of recent funding freezes.
https://t.co/fL7OIQ7SmM
When @ailsachang from @NPR interviewed me, she asked how I felt receiving the stop work orders. I was surprised and incredibly frustrated, but I remain proud to be a Harvard faculty member because we must speak truth to power. Listen here: https://t.co/iA3L9eYFtk
Why should you care if scientific funding shrinks & academic institutions are under attack? University research drives innovation, job creation, & economic growth. Cuts threaten America's technological & economic leadership. Read more and share:
https://t.co/4juo9ms0db
The @NIH is adopting an initiative to expand human-based models like Organ Chips. This tech, commercialized by @emulateinc, enables faster, better, & cheaper drug development. We'll see more successful clinical trials & better treatments.
https://t.co/MTeYF9tpj4
For anyone who cares about their neighbors & the health of their loved ones, let's fight again for freedom. Now, it's not about taxation without representation; it's about science funding cessation without justification. If this resonates, please share. https://t.co/xapWoxfWKz
Political interference & battles over ideology shouldn't stifle science. If you care for patients, join the fight to retain academic freedom, speak out to protect science, & ensure our ability to innovate based on facts. Read my op-ed in @medpagetoday.
https://t.co/uIy39wlFGP
In the face of adversity, we at the @wyssinstitute won't stop pursuing our mission. We'll support our community, which has devoted itself to saving the lives of others & the planet. To do that, we need your help. Take a stand & show that science matters.
https://t.co/1LWb116OxU
We're seeking outstanding applicants for two postdoc positions in my lab - one focused on immunology (https://t.co/Qz5oe2IpXH) and the other focused on Intestine Chips (https://t.co/OKGzlHnqwD). Spread the word and apply today! #PostdocPosition#PostdoctoralFellow#Hiring