Fully-Funded Wellcome Trust PhD: The Changing Policy and Practice of Laboratory animal rehoming

Applications are invited for a fully-funded PhD Studentship at the University of Southampton, supervised by Dr Emma Roe.

There is increasing emphasis on the whole life experience of experimental animals, from guidelines on animal breeding and supply, the recirculation of animal tissues through biobanks, through to the rehoming of animals used in regulated experiments. These are raising new social, ethical and regulatory issues about the kinds of relations that people have with laboratory animals outside of laboratory spaces.

The project will explore the implications of renewed attention to the rehoming of laboratory animals through animal rehoming guidelines (e.g. Home Office). What new forms of human animal relations are being created as practices change? What new spaces of care are emerging? What new relations are being made between rehoming charities and experimental science? How do anti-vivisectionist concerns sit in relation to the rehoming of laboratory animals?

The methodology will involve comparative policy analysis and stakeholder interviews on laboratory animal rehoming practices to inform the study of how they are or could be introduced into the UK. Insights from this project will be integrated into wider networks with other projects funded under the Wellcome Collaborative Application award, and thus generate resources on networks of animal supply and rehoming for public engagement.

This three-year research project is part of a larger Wellcome Trust Collaborative Award entitled ‘The Laboratory Animal Research Nexus’ led by Professor Gail Davies (University of Exeter) with Dr Beth Greenhough (Oxford University), Dr Pru Hobson-West (University of Nottingham), Dr Rob Kirk (University of Manchester) and Dr Emma Roe (University of Southampton). The programme seeks to further debates around animal research by creating new ways of working and thinking across the sciences, social sciences and humanities. The successful candidate will have the chance to benefit from and contribute to this whole programme and with additional supervisory support from Prof Gail Davies at the University of Exeter.

This studentship includes University fees (for Home/EU students), a maintenance grant of £19,919 in year one, rising in the second and third year (see details at https://wellcome.ac.uk/sites/default/files/wtd004141.pdf), plus appropriate research costs for travel and conferences.

The doctoral project represents an excellent opportunity for a suitably qualified student to make important contributions to the emerging body of work in the social science and humanities on the social, ethical and cultural dimensions of animal research. Candidates for the studentship must have a first or strong upper second-class degree, in an appropriate discipline, not necessarily Geography. You are also required to have achieved or be expected to achieve a master’s degree in geography or a related field. Candidates would also be expected to be open to the range of perspectives around animal research, willing to engage constructively with stakeholders holding diverse views, and competent to handle information of a sensitive nature. Details on how to apply are available from Julie Drewitt, email [Email Address Removed]. Informal enquiries may be made to Dr Emma Roe (email [Email Address Removed]).

Interview: 28 June 2017.