The project addresses the need for a nuanced and empirically informed philosophical analysis of the current and future status of animal models in translational research. Animal models are essential in biomedical research and preclinical drug testing, but it has been debated whether and how experimental results on animals can inform the human context.
Translational challenges, as well as challenges of reproducibility of preclinical results, have motivated calls for institutional and regulatory changes to substitute animal models with alternatives, such as organoids and organ-on-chip technologies. However, the possibilities of replacing animal models with in vitro substitutes are limited in research fields such as neuroscience, and a more nuanced analysis is needed to make informed decisions on the best models for specific purposes.
Specifically, this project draws on Nelson’s framework of epistemic scaffolding to explore how different types of models, with different epistemic virtues, are used to generate hypotheses and establish evidence-relations in research on neurological disorders. The project, hosted by KU, evaluates the use of so-called endophenotype models, which rely on a decomposition of complex disorders to simpler phenotypic measures. This approach has proven useful in some studies of therapeutic effects, but it has also been criticised for relying on reductionist assumptions about the decomposability of complex disorders to more fundamental biological units. Addressing this problem requires an empirically informed philosophical analysis.
The collaboration between philosophers and scientists is expected to be of mutual benefit, in encouraging reflection and discussion on the benefits and limitations of different experimental strategies and model design, as well as the ethical implications of different approaches to animal-based research. The collaboration is expected to result in joint outreach activities, such as development of written material or videos to be used in teaching philosophy of science courses and information targeted at the general public.
Michele Salluce
My PhD project examines how animal models are constructed and used in contemporary neuroscience, with a particular focus on research on depression. The fundamental question is: (how) can we acquire translational knowledge from animal models experimentation?
My primary motivation for joining this Doctoral Network is the opportunity to pursue an applied approach to philosophy that is deeply integrated with scientific practice. This interdisciplinary framework is rare; it allows philosophers to move beyond theoretical analysis and engage directly with the practical challenges of laboratory research.
