Dr Hadwen Trust pledges £0.7m for humane medical research
Wednesday, 18 April 2012 1:46 PM
The Dr Hadwen Trust (DHT) has announced grants totalling over £720k to fund innovative and humane research into bipolar disorder, cardiovascular disease, cystic fibrosis, motor-neuron disease, rabies and schizophrenia.
The projects, which will be taking place at seven leading universities across the UK from 2012, aim to further the understanding and treatment of a wide range of diseases while simultaneously developing methods to reduce the number of animals used in research.
The new projects are the latest additions to a portfolio of ground-breaking medical research funded by the DHT since 1970 that does not harm any animals and has helped in the fight against diseases such as cancer, heart disease and mental health disorders.
The new projects aim to:
Improve understanding of nerve-muscle interaction in motor-neuron disease (Cranfield University)
Develop and test devices used in the treatment of cardiovascular disease (Dundee University)
Develop a plant-based product to help prevent rabies (St George’s, University of London)
Improve understanding of brain activity in schizophrenia (Nottingham University)
Improve gene therapy methods in cystic fibrosis (Imperial College, London)
Improve understanding of the pharmacological mechanism in bipolar disorder (Royal Holloway, University of London)
Develop humane techniques using MEG (Magnetoencephalography) scanning (Aston University)
Kailah Eglington, Chief Executive of the Dr Hadwen Trust, said: “We are delighted to announce funding for seven exciting new projects which will pioneer medical research, bringing benefits to both humans and animals. All these projects offer the potential to increase understanding about devastating diseases while also helping to reduce the number of animals harmed in scientific research.
“Over the last four decades, DHT-funded research has helped develop reliable alternatives to animal experimentation while contributing to scientific breakthroughs. We urge all scientists to think about how they can help shape a more effective and humane future for medical research by using non-animal methods in their work.”
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