Imperial is committed to sharing the results of its published research with as many people as possible. When we communicate about research that has involved animal studies, we will always say so, explaining how and why animals were involved.

We aim to explain why animal research remains an important aspect of medical and veterinary science. You can read about some recent examples of animals used for Imperial research projects in the news stories on the main animal research page.

Imperial research staff are actively involved in communicating with the public about their work involving animals. Staff speak with journalists and visit schools to talk to pupils about animal research. Central Biomedical Services (CBS) staff also attended to the Imperial Festival.

In collaboration with Google, Imperial has develop a Google Expedition about Imperial’s animal research facilities, as a way of giving virtual access to school pupils and teachers across the world. The expedition also gives information about why scientists work with animals, what the benefits of this work can be, and the importance of ensuring the highest standards of care for the animals.

Openness in animal research

In May 2014, Imperial joined over 70 organisations in signing the UK Concordat on Openness on Animal Research [pdf]‌, making four commitments:

  1. We will be clear about when, how and why we use animals in research;
  2. We will enhance our communications with the media and the public about our research using animals;
  3. We will be proactive in providing opportunities for the public to find out about research using animals;
  4. We will report on progress annually and share our experiences.

In May 2019, Imperial College has been recognised for its openness about the use of animals in research with a Leader in Openness Award for the period 2019-2022.