Each year, millions of mice and other animals experience pain and distress in research labs and lab supply companies. Scientists have developed many lab mouse varieties that exhibit reduced pain, anxiety, fear, and depression. While these mice were initially created to serve as models of human suffering, the insights can help the animals themselves.

Animal experimentation is on the rise, and it is unlikely to be phased out entirely, at least anytime soon. Research institutions could easily opt for more resilient animals. Ethical committees responsible for approving animal experiments welcome this initiative, which is likely to benefit many rodent species, including those used outside of research, such as mice fed to snakes and other pets. Other diverse species are also likely to benefit, given how evolutionarily conserved the sequences underlying distress are. To learn more about the science behind this work, please visit our research page.