AI can reduce the number of animals needed for research
Select your language
Generated with artificial intelligence.
Listening: AI can reduce the number of animals needed for research
Researchers at Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH Zurich have developed a new, AI-supported method that analyses the behaviour of mice in the laboratory more efficiently. As a result, biomedical research requires fewer laboratory mice.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA
Deutsch
de
KI reduziert Einsatz von Labormäusen in der Forschung
Original
The method uses automatic behavioural analysis by means of image recognition and artificial intelligence (AI). Mice are filmed and the video recordings are automatically analysed, writes ETH Zurich in a press releaseExternal link issued on Thursday.
The analysis of animal behaviour often involves days of laborious manual work, writes the institute. In recent years, leading research laboratories around the world have switched to powerful automated behavioural analysis. But this generates mountains of data and the more extensive the data and the finer the differences in behaviour to be recorded, the greater the risk of misinterpretation, according to the ETH Zurich.
Stress resistance tested
The Swiss researchers’ new method now makes it possible to obtain meaningful results even with a smaller group of animals and to identify subtle behavioral differences between the animals. The new approach also helps to reduce the number of test animals. And the standardisation of tests can be increased.
Using the new method, the Swiss team has already been able to find out how mice react to stress and certain drugs in animal experiments. And that acute and chronic stress change the behaviour of mice differently.
Adapted from German by DeepL/ac
This news story has been written and carefully fact-checked by an external editorial team. At SWI swissinfo.ch we select the most relevant news for an international audience and use automatic translation tools such as DeepL to translate it into English. Providing you with automatically translated news gives us the time to write more in-depth articles.
If you want to know more about how we work, have a look here, if you want to learn more about how we use technology, click here, and if you have feedback on this news story please write to english@swissinfo.ch.
Popular Stories
More
Culture
Documentary portrays Swiss teenagers forced to return to parents’ homeland
Should raw milk sales be banned or should consumers decide?
Swiss food regulations do not allow raw milk to be sold for direct consumption. However, a loophole allows 400 raw milk vending machines to do just that.
Geneva Conventions conference on Middle East scheduled for March 2025
This content was published on
The conference on the Middle East of the 196 States party to the Geneva Conventions, organised by Switzerland, will take place in Geneva in March.
Swiss university graduates are popular hires worldwide
This content was published on
Graduates of Swiss universities are popular with international employers, according to the Global Employability University Rankings.
French cross-border workers in Switzerland fear ‘discriminatory’ unemployment reform
This content was published on
In the French region around Geneva, cross-border workers are protesting proposals to cut unemployment benefits for those working in Switzerland.
Swan infected with bird flu in central Switzerland
This content was published on
Switzerland has reported its first bird flu case of the season. A swan found dead in central Switzerland tested positive for the H5N1 virus.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.