‘Of Mice and Dementia’: A filmed conversation on the use of animals in dementia research

Preclinical science research focuses on the study of physiological systems regulating body functions, and how they are dysregulated in disease, in a non-human setting. For example, cells in a dish, computer simulations or animals. Scientific procedures traditionally involve a specialist scientist developing a hypothesis and subsequently testing it using an experimental set-up. The results are then disseminated to the wider scientific community, following peer review and only at the last stage the news will reach the general, lay public. In the last few years, some research funding institutions have promoted a different model, with the direct involvement of members of the public in the research co-creation, from the hypothesis development, to the grant revision, project monitoring and results communication.We personally experienced this model and brought it to a further level by producing a movie. Animal research is a very controversial topic as, while still being necessary for the investigation of body functions, it brings about issues related to the ethics, the regulation and the practical execution of experimental procedures on animals. Here we discuss the different stages of the ideation, production and outcomes of the movie ‘Of Mice and Dementia’, a filmed conversation on animal experimentation in dementia research. The conversation was between scientists and lay people with a direct experience of dementia

Preface

The 8th International Conference of Computational Methods in Engineering Science (CMES’2023), held on November 23rd-25th, 2023 in Puławy, Poland, is organized by the Polish Society for the Promotion of Knowledge, the Lublin University of Technology (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Faculty of Management, and Faculty of Environmental Engineering), and the Polish Air Force University (Faculty of Aviation). The conference is an excellent opportunity to present and learn how computational methods can be applied in scientific disciplines like mechanical, materials, and civil engineering, management, environmental engineering, mining and energy, computer engineering, and innovative products launched by companies. The interdisciplinary nature of the conference facilitates knowledge sharing among Polish and foreign research centers that represent different engineering and technical sciences disciplines. This edition creates opportunities for plenary sessions and presentations of companies that solve engineering problems with modern computational methods and tools