Plant and animal testing encompasses experimental methods that use whole organisms or their tissues to assess biological responses to chemicals, drugs, genetic modifications, environmental stressors, or other interventions under controlled conditions. In plants, testing commonly involves growth assays, phytotoxicity and ecotoxicological evaluations, and phenotypic or molecular analyses following exposure or genetic manipulation. In animals, it includes in vivo toxicology, pharmacokinetics, efficacy studies, and behavioral or physiological assessments, often guided by standardized protocols and regulatory frameworks. These methods aim to elucidate mechanisms of action, dose–response relationships, safety margins, and translational relevance to ecosystems or human health, while increasingly integrating refinement, reduction, and replacement strategies.
A gas naturally produced by our own bodies could one day help treat skin and wound infections, potentially offering a new approach alongside conventional antibiotics.
Cell & Microbiology
4 hours ago
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Researchers have created a molecular "cage" that keeps protein-degrading drug molecules inactive until they are exposed to low-energy red light. The technology, called RuPHOTACs, controls when and where these molecules become ...
Bio & Medicine
Oct 30, 2026
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15
Invasive alien brambles have been spreading across South Africa since the early 1900s, having come from North America and Europe. All brambles fall within the genus Rubus. Their common names in South Africa are braam (Afrikaans), ...
Ecology
Oct 27, 2026
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13
Chocolate lovers may not realize it, but the future of one of the world's most popular foods is increasingly under pressure. Diseases, shifting weather patterns and other environmental stressors are threatening cacao production ...
Biotechnology
Oct 27, 2026
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29
What happens when scientists start changing the brain—the very system through which an animal's mental states are expressed in behavior?
Plants & Animals
Oct 19, 2026
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11
A study led by scientists at the Holden Arboretum has found evidence that beech leaf disease (BLD) symptom development is genetically controlled, providing the first evidence that some American beech trees may have genetic ...
Plants & Animals
Oct 2, 2026
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50
New technology from Texas A&M AgriLife Research could be a major step toward bringing disease-resistant peppers and tomatoes to growers' fields and lowering costs at grocery stores.
Biotechnology
Oct 2, 2026
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29
In a new study, cats and dogs showed a short-term preference for kibble containing some protein derived from microorganisms over kibble containing only standard animal-derived protein. Ally Motta de Matos and A.L.B. Cruz ...
Biotechnology
Sep 23, 2026
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45
There is no "one-fix-for-all" solution for sarcoids, said Sophie Bogers, an assistant professor of large animal surgery. Many require chemotherapy or invasive surgery. But she wants a better solution.
Veterinary medicine
Sep 23, 2026
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14
Researchers at the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) have developed microfluidic technology that can grow cells in three dimensions (3D). The goal is to conduct toxicity tests on new products by ...
Cell & Microbiology
Sep 17, 2026
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