On April 17, UConn took part in the annual Biomedical Research Awareness Day (BRAD), an international outreach program to increase public awareness about animal roles in biomedical research and demonstrate an organization’s commitment to ethical animal care. This year’s national BRAD theme focused on the importance of animals’ contribution to vaccine research.
With oversight spanning multiple departments involved in animal-based research, UConn Research strives to balance scientific innovation and humane treatment of animals. The BRAD event at the Storrs campus, held outside the Pharmacy Biology Building on the Storrs campus, allowed the biomedical research team to spread awareness on the advancement of research technology that has been developed to protect animals in testing.
In Storrs, BRAD drew more than 100 people and attracted younger generations of scientists eager to understand the efforts behind taking care of lab animals. The event featured posters explaining the benefits of animal research and the steps taken to maintain ethical and humane practices, with researchers and staff members on hand to answer questions from students and other visitors.
The expo featured a special guest: Jonathan XIV made an appearance, braving the chilly temperatures and high winds help bring attention to BRAD. A public viewing of the webinar “Unlocking Vaccine Prevention” followed the event later that day.
Concurrently, UConn Health in Farmington hosted a BRAD event that drew over 300 people, including medical faculty members and clinicians, students, and researchers. The diverse group of participants had numerous opportunities for interaction. Discussions focused on biomedical research and ethics, complemented by a continuous slideshow showcasing significant biomedical breakthroughs resulting from animal research. Held indoors, the UConn Health event featured games, raffles, ice cream from the Storrs Dairy Bar, and greetings from Toby, the service dog.
“Events like Biomedical Research Awareness Day shine a positive light on the work our researchers do and scientific advancements that benefit both humans and animals alike.” added James Brennan, Interim Director of Animal Care Services at Storrs. “We celebrate the bonds that are formed and recognize the importance of humane treatment toward all animals in our care.”
As an R1 research university, UConn continues to reinforce its research productivity while ensuring optimum care facilities for the animals housed in University facilities.
