Animal Research at Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, ABQ NM

Human research is highly regulated and without basic animal and subsequent human research, medications we use today would not be approved and available for use. There remains overwhelming agreement among physicians and scientists worldwide that laboratory animals provide irreplaceable and invaluable models for human systems.

Research involving laboratory animals at LRRI is heavily monitored and regulated by multiple state and federal agencies. All requests to use animals in research undergo a rigorous review by an independent committee of well-informed scientists, veterinarians and members of the general public to ensure scientific necessity and humane treatment. The review requires an extensive search for alternatives to minimize the use of animals.

For the past year, LRRI researchers and other employees have been subjected to an organized campaign of harassment by out-of-town extreme activists intended to stop the use of all animals in research. These groups target all animal research centers in the country. In all extreme activists' statements on Social Media and to news media, the accusations are unfounded, misleading and always from "unidentified" sources. Because of threatening phone calls and emails to LRRI, all names and threats are immediately turned over to local law enforcement and the FBI. LRRI takes these threats very seriously because the security and safety of all employees is paramount to LRRI.

All 1200 LRRI employees remain committed to conducting research that saves lives and improves the health of people who are afflicted with diseases such as lung cancer, COPD, asthma, flu and many more diseases. We remain steadfast in condemning the deplorable tactics used by extreme animal research activists.

Selected LRRI advances where animal research was a factor:

• Leafy green vegetables, folate, and some multivitamins could serve as protective factors against lung cancer in current and former smokers, according to a study that is a first step in understanding a complex association.
• Health effects examined of inhaled Florida Red Tide which may slow recovery from influenza infections.
• Researchers studied the mechanism of airway epithelial cells focusing on that which could be useful to enhance their repair process or act as an intervention in the inflammatory response. These findings will help in development of therapeutics of chronic airway diseases.
• "Swine flu" was able to replicate faster and cause more disease when compared to previous seasonal influenza strains.

• Researchers developed animal models with strong similarities to the human disease of silicosis, a respiratory disease caused by breathing in silica or mineral dust. Silicosis is a major health concern in developing countries. This work is in collaboration with scientists from South Africa toward the development of therapeutics.
• Key vascular factors in atherosclerosis are associated with the increased occurrence of heart attacks and strokes in humans.

Curing Respiratory Disease

• Scientists studied the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common respiratory pathogen that infects the naive lung in infancy. RSV re-infection in the elderly has been implicated in exacerbation of pre-existing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (CGPD) or asthma that is, driven by increased co-infection with bacteria.
• Researchers developed the nonhuman primate (NHP) model of tularemia for the testing of new vaccines being developed to prevent this terrible disease.
• The incidence of childhood asthma is steadily increasing in the Western world; however, reasons for this rise are unclear. LRRI research shows that parental smoking is shown to strongly increase the risk of childhood allergic asthma.
• Impact of aging on secondary bacterial infections studied in those with influenza. The elderly have higher, and often lethal, occurrences of additional infection such as pneumonia when experiencing influenza viral infections. This work will allow new therapies to be investigated.
• LRRI researchers developed a model to enhance lung cancer diagnosis by understanding the role of individual genes. These findings can identify biomarkers for early detection of lung cancer in those of high risk or very early stages.
• Relationship demonstrated between smoking and respiratory disease among Hispanic versus non-Hispanic white (NHW) women and revealed that NHW women smokers were at greater risk of developing airflow obstruction and diminished lung function than Hispanic women who smoke.

LRRI Animal Respect Code

LRRI serves the world through research on the prevention, treatment and cure of respiratory diseases such as asthma, COPD, allergies and cancers; diseases which also occur in animals. The humane, highly regulated, use of animals in biomedical research remains vital to saving human and animal lives, and to alleviating human and animal suffering. Such care is critical to the success of our mission. We strive to continuously improve the welfare and the environments of our animals by exceeding all applicable laws, guidelines and regulations. Employees are trained to provide the highest level of quality care for our animals, and we believe the quality of our research depends upon the quality of our animal care. Our employees are held to the highest standards that meet or exceed those mandated by the Animal Welfare Act, which is overseen by the United States Department of Agriculture, USDA.

www.lrri.org

Media Contact: Kyla Thompson, kyla@kylathompson.com, 505-341-0699

2/6/12