Information obtained from the following sources: Commission of the European Communities

Global perspectives on status of integrative/systems physiology: current status and supply/demand issues. Allen W. Cowley, Jr., IUPS President

Information obtained from the following sources:

1. Commission of the European Communities

2. UK Life Sciences Committee (Animal Science Group)

3. British Pharmacology Society

4. IUPS Survey of Council and Scientific Commissions

5. APS Survey of Chair persons of US Medical Schools

6. Personal communications (Industry and Academia)

Scientific utilization of animals by European countries

Belgium

Denmark

Germany

Greece

Spain

France

Ireland

Italy

Luxemburg

Netherlands

Austria

Portugal

Finland

Sweden

United Kingdom

1.212 million

.350

1.51

.019

.506

?

.077

1.09

.001

.652

.205

.049

.110

.286

2.659

Rodents and Rabbits

Cold-blooded

Birds 4%

Farm animals,

primates, carnivores

& unclassified

<2%

81%

13%

Commission of the European Communities

Industry

BasicResearchOther

Testing

Diagnosis

Education

44%

25%17%

9% 4%1%

Scientific purpose for utilization of animals

Supply and Demand of Integrative and Systems Scientists in the UK (Animal Science group of the UK Life Sciences Committee)

National Curriculum:- Animal dissection is no longer a requirement in the A Level Biology practical assessment; no longer in the main body of the courses except some demonstrations.

- Course content changed drastically over last 2-3 decades from emphasis on evolutionary integrative biology to “bio-molecular” science (“modern bioscience”).

- Students “have little practical knowledge of animal form and function.


Undergraduate Level Situation – B.Sc University Students:

- Focus of most syllabi on non-whole animal topics

- Commonly no animal dissection during

undergraduate years


Reasons for this situation:

1. Intense competition to register undergraduate students in science subjects. Animal dissection is a disincentive to register.

2. There has been a reduction in the laboratory component of Biology courses; this is in part due reduced time allocated to teaching (moved toward US semester system, modular degree programs).

3. Government cost cutting: staff/student ratios reduced; reduced laboratory sessions that require considerable staffing.


::Undergraduate Level Situation – B.Sc University Students- Reasons for this situation (continued):

4. Use of animals for students doing honors projects present problems due to:

a. Most Universities lack of animal facilities, or if present they are very expensive.

b. Fears from animal rights activists.

c. Considerable bureaucratic delays and costs in obtaining Home Office Education licenses.


Undergraduate Level Situation – B.Sc. University Students

Conclusions:

1. Students at many UK universities do not receive the education they need to make informed choice of future careers.

2. This has contributed to the current chronic shortage of integrated systems scientists.

UK situation of postgraduate level:

1. Shortage well recognized, but little done to address the problem.

2. Efforts to recruit such scientists result in no applicants from the UK.

3. Also a well recognized major shortage of qualified animal technicians.


Reasons for the present situation in the UK?

1. Success of anti-vivisectionists:

- Rigorous lobbying activities.

- Climate of fear with examples of extreme violence.

- Pressured animal breeders to abandon businesses.

- Delay establishment of animal research centers (such as the primate center in Cambridge).

- Nearly bankrupted Huntingdon Life Sciences (a major drug testing company).

(Animal Science group of the UK Life Sciences Committee)

Reasons for the present situation in the UK?

2. Overall culture change in attitudes:

- Increased urbanization with loss of understanding of the realities of animal use.

- Increased awareness of environmental changes and a desire to prevent further erosion:

> increase in vegetarianism> against use of furs for clothing > “natural foods” with changes in farming


What is being done to change the situation?

• Public opinion polls support animal experimentation.

• Present the facts about continued need.- obtained support from pharmaceutical industry,

biomedical funding organizations, etc., in the process of forming the Campaign for Medical Progress.

• Recognized need to change the National Curriculum to consider ethics of animal experimentation in secondary schools.

• Work to change curricula at all educational levels


Integrative Animal and Human physiology

The Wellcome Trust has launched a new initiative for the

development of UK research capacity and training in integrative

physiology in animals and humans.

Purpose: The initiative will support research programmes aiming to interpret genomic information in terms of phenotype at the organ, system (including the nervous system), and whole-animal/human level, leading to an increased understanding of the pathophysiology of disease. The major focus of the initiative will be on the establishment of a critical mass of basic and clinical scientists in this area within the UK and the Republic of Ireland. The Trust expects to support three to five applications with a total budget, for the whole scheme, of £15 million over five years.

The specific objectives are: to promote research exploring

the relationship between the genomic information and

physiological mechanisms in humans and animals; to

support the development and use of whole-animal modelsf

disease and dysfunction that are of relevance to disease

processes (these models may be non-mammalian species); to

promote cross-disciplinary research and collaborations and

to develop networks of integrative physiology researchers,

either within institutions or by linking two or more

institutions.

Wellcome Trust initiative (cont.)

Conclusions:

1. The situation in the UK with regard to the supply of integrative and systems scientists is far from satisfactory.

2. The reasons for this are complex and varied. However, some can be identified, and ways of counteracting them are being developed.

3. If such actions are not effective there is a real possibility that whole areas of research could be curtailed in the UK to the detriment of the national economy and to biomedical science.

British Pharmacology Society (Sara-Jane Stagg)

• Found rapidly diminishing number of undergraduates capable of carrying out hands-on in vivo laboratory studies.

• UK pharmaceutical industry concerned due to difficulties in recruiting employees for in vivo work related to drug discovery.

• Industry finds that even for those going to spend their life in molecular biology, it is important what colleagues do in vivo and how it relates to the whole drug discovery process.

Reasons found for reduction in opportunities for

in vivo work for undergraduates.

1. Cost – it is now very expensive to maintain animal facilities in universities.

2. Cost – it is expensive to provide the necessary training for undergraduates and pay for government licenses.

3. Cost and intrusiveness of the security necessary to protect such work from animal rights protesters.

4. Universities were finding staffing problems, especially for practical classes with animals that require high levels of supervision.

5. Ethical problems with use of animals.

British Pharmacology Society

British Pharmacological Society –

Pharmaceutical Partnership Challenge.

• BPS invited pharmaceutical companies to contribute to a fund to give grants to departments to assist in the costs of such courses.

• Received donations from 6 companies and the Society also provides some funds.

• 2002 providing grants to 10 departments.

• Joined with the Physiological Society and industry to develop two short vacation courses of one week’s duration in London and Scotland. Students will learn about in vivo Pharmacology and physiology (70 applications and supported 27 places).

IUPS Survey of Council and Scientific Commissions

Australia - Ann Sefton – IUPS CouncilNew Zealand Physiological Society Chile - Cecilia Hidalgo – IUPS CouncilScandinavian Physiological SocietyDanish IUPS National Committee Finnish Physiological SocietyFrance - Pierre Buser Germany – Irene Schulz – IUPS CouncilIndia - A. Paintal – IUPS CouncilJapan Physiological Society Russia - Pavel Balaban – IUPS CouncilUSA - Jimmy Neill – IUPS Council

Do the majority of the universities in your country have “integrative and organs systems scientist” faculty members? (IUPS)

Australia Yes and No

New Zealand Physio. Soc. Yes

Chile No

Scandinavian Physio. Soc. Yes

Danish Nat. Committee Yes

Finnish Physio. Soc. Yes

France No

India Yes

Japan Physio. Soc. Yes

Russia Yes

USA (Med Schools) Yes

Since 1990 has the number of such faculty members

increased/decreased? (IUPS)

Australia Decreased New Zealand Increased and DecreasedChile DecreasedScandinavian DecreasedDanish IncreasedFinnish DecreasedFrance No AnswerGermany DecreasedIndia IncreasedJapan DecreasedRussia DecreasedUSA (Med Schools) Decreased

Do you foresee a tendency within the next 5 years for

additional hires? (IUPS)

Australia NoNew Zealand Yes and NOChile NoScandinavian NoDanish YesFinnish NoFrance ?Germany NoIndia YesJapan NoRussia NoUSA Yes (IUPS)

Are “integrative and organs systems Ph.D. students” in general capable of doing in vivo whole animals research?

Australia YesNew Zealand YesChile NoScandinavian NoDanish YesFinnish Decreasing #’sFrance ? Germany Yes and NoIndia YesJapan YesRussia YesUSA Yes

How do you estimate future needs for “integrative and

organs systems scientists” in your country? (IUPS)

Australia Increasing demandNew Zealand Increasing demand *Chile DecreaseScandinavian Increasing demandDanish Increasing demandFinnish Increasing demandFrance Increasing demandGermany Increasing demand ?India UnchangingJapan Increasing demandRussia Decrease (in everything)USA Increasing demand *

Do you perceive this issue to be a problem?

If so, what was the cause (e.g., a supply-side problem, a demand-side problem or both)? (IUPS)

Australia Yes – both supply/demand *New Zealand Yes – both supply/demandChile No – favor “molecular sciences”Scandinavian Yes – supply/demand inadequate *Danish No – supply/demand adequateFinnish Yes – both supply/demand France Yes – both supply/demand *Germany Yes – both supply/demand India No – supply/demand adequateJapan Yes – both supply/demandRussia Yes – both supply/demand USA Yes – both supply/demand*

Views of Pharmaceutical and Biotechology Industries

1. Paul Vanhoutte (Servier, Belgium) – “a great need but very few

candidates” 2. Peter Morsing (Astra Zeneca) - “now recognize a great need, but

there are few candidates”

3. Mark Fishman (Novartis) – “integrative biology is clearly important to

drug discovery”

4. Bruce Markham (Pfizer) – “ a dearth of candidates now and a

growing need”

5. Discussions with several scientists who have started Biotech

Genome-based Discovery Companies

“now must outsource to Universities to move from target ID

with a differential expression or phenotype in a KO to needing a

proof- of-concept using an in vivo disease model – integrative

physiologist/pharmacologist is need for this”.

• “No doubt that the state of in vivo science in preclinical departments in Sweden is very unfortunate.”

• “Grants are much too small and the number of new graduates is too low.”

• “Until now, we have experienced no major problem in recruitment of in vivo personal but the future looks grim. I expect that we will get into major problems within a few years.”

• “The number of graduates goes down and many of the graduates do not have the broad knowledge in basic anatomy, histology, pharmacology and physiology as we used to recruit. Sweden students with a medical background seldom goes into preclinical work any longer.”

Peter Thoren, MD., PhD – AstraZeneca (global head of

in vivo pharmacology; member of APS; 40 PhDs at site)

• impression is there is a shortage• “in vivo” scientists are at the top of the hiring list• difficult to recruit these people• are they worried? Not really. So far since they have been

able to fill positions.• However, “in vivo” people coming from different

backgrounds:

a. gene knockout labs (primary training not in

physiology or pharmocology)

b. MD degrees • “if one has broad systems training there are great

opportunities.”

Comments by Terry Opgennorth, PhD (Abbott):

John Burkhart, MD (Pfizer, England)

• have need in target validation and safety testing• shortage of individuals with in vivo training • Pfizer is providing funds for training programs in England• availability is very low in England and most hires are non-

resident, non-US-European trained MDs with some post-

doctoral experience (i.e. primary training not in physiology

or pharmacology).• perceive a need for more well trained scientist in

combined areas of molecular biology and physiology.

Global perspectives on status of integrative/systems physiology: current status and supply/demand issues. Allen W. Cowley, Jr., IUPS President

Information obtained from the following sources:

1. Commission of the European Communities

2. UK Life Sciences Committee (Animal Science Group)

3. British Pharmacology Society

4. IUPS Survey of Council and Scientific Commissions

5. APS Survey of Chair persons of US Medical Schools

6. Personal communications (Industry and Academia)

Information obtained from the following sources: Commission of the European Communities

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Transcript of Information obtained from the following sources: Commission of the European Communities