3 December 2023

Granja San Bernardo at the Secal Congress, the Spanish Society for Laboratory Animal Sciences

Granja San Bernardo was present at the latest Secal Congress 2023, the Spanish Society for Laboratory Animal Sciences, held at the Palacio de Congresos in Santiago de Compostela in November 2023. 

The Scientific and Organizing Committee developed a very useful and attractive program. It helped us stay updated on the various scientific and technical aspects of our work, while reaffirming our commitment to responsible and high-quality animal experimentation. Without losing sight of the imperative of the 3 Rs (replace, reduce, refine) or the culture of care. The program did not ignore our responsibility to society, which entrusts us with its confidence, so aspects such as ethics, transparency, or alternatives had a prominent place. As usual, the pre-congress workshops offered us the opportunity for more practical and interactive updates.

Santiago de Compostela is an ancient city that has welcomed thousands of pilgrims and visitors over the centuries. As a welcoming city, it received us with open arms.

Increasing scientific knowledge through basic biological research with animals helps us understand how living beings function and apply that knowledge for the benefit of both people and animals. 

The use of rabbits as a research model remains essential in areas such as atherosclerosis, ophthalmological diseases, infectious diseases, orthopedic research and development, neoplasms, and cancer research. 

Comparing different species and studying the differences between them is a way to gain greater knowledge. Even simple animals like the fruit fly can be used to study the nervous or immune systems, which are biologically complex but follow the same organization and have the same basic functions in all animals.