The most commonly-occurring strain of malaria, vivax malaria, is difficult to combat because the parasite forms dormant stages known as 'hypnozoites', which embed themselves in the host's liver. They can remain there, unnoticed, for weeks or even years – until suddenly, for unknown reasons, they resume their growth and cause an outbreak of malaria.

So far, no adequate therapy exists to treat this form. Recently, however, we have learned more about the genetic properties of these dormant stages – information that is extremely valuable to pharmaceutical research.

It recently came to light that the number of monkeys used in the United States in biomedical research in 2017 was 22% higher than in 2015.

Science has unlocked another clue to the workings of the human immune system. An article just published in leading science journal Nature presents new information about this vital bodily defence system – information that will be instrumental in the search for new therapies like those developed by BPRC.

'There is a real chance that tuberculosis will become untreatable in the near future.' It was with these ominous words that TV science programme Focus, aired by public broadcaster NTR on NPO2 on 24 October (watch it here (Dutch)), sounded the alarm about the problem of the world's deadliest bug.

Jan Langermans appointed chair of Laboratory Animal Welfare

Utrecht University has named BPRC's Jan Langermans Professor by Special Appointment of Laboratory Animal Welfare, a newly created chair within the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine's Department of Animals, Science and Society. Langermans will continue to work at BPRC, spending one day a week at Utrecht as from 1 November 2018 to ‘expand and share’ his vision on the welfare of laboratory animals.

'A human, a mouse, a primate – each is more than the sum of its parts', emphasises Professor Clevers, a doctor and geneticist who teaches at Utrecht University, in a recent episode of Focus. 'In the end, you have to prove that your discovery also holds for the body as a whole.'

Titled 'Mouse saves lives', the episode of public broadcaster NRT's science programme zoomed in on the societal debate over whether animal testing is essential or excessive.

BPRC has an excellent reputation when it comes to knowledge, colony management, and accommodating and looking after its animals. We apply sophisticated methods so as to minimise the discomfort experienced by the animals to the maximum extent possible, and we have a transparent policy with regard to animal welfare. On that basis, we are happy to tell you more about our annual animal health checks, executed under the supervision of our four vets.

Monkeys love jumping around, playing, swinging and relaxing. They display this natural behaviour in any living environment. This means it is crucial to enrich their surroundings with playthings such as balls, slides and fire hoses. In some cases, those fire hoses can be extremely large.

‘Look how big those reels are’, exclaims animal keeper Marit as she shows us the photos taken on the day of delivery. ‘My muscles were sore for three days just from rolling the hoses off,’ she laughs.

In response to the undercover video from the BPRC, member of Parliament Wassenberg from the Party for the Animals has asked questions. Minister van Engelshoven (Minister of Education, Culture and Science) has answered these questions, also on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (responsible for the use of animals for scientific purposes). You can read these questions and answers (in Dutch only) by following this link.

The BPRC Alternative Methods Unit often works with culture systems for certain types of brain cells known as microglia. We grow these cells using brain matter from dead animals. In this way, we are able to chart the so-called immunological reactions in the brain. It is important to note here that no animals are ‘sacrificed’ to obtain the tissue that we use, which is purely residual material.