Dear Colleagues, 

The consolidation of bioethics in the scientific community has substantially altered behavior with animals. Until then, animals appropriated as objects aimed at satisfying human and economic interests have been conceived as sentient beings, therefore worthy of respect. The use of animals has been permeated by the principles of the 3R, which aims at a total replacement in the future. However, as long as the use of the animal has a legitimate justification and no other way to obtain this end, the use is accepted, however conditioned to a numerical reduction and a refinement of handling in order to reduce to a minimum condition that compromise its degree of animal welfare. The ethical/philosophical currents adopted by bioethics and transposed in the means of production and academics called utilitarianism and well-being, demand criteria to assess whether the interests and emotions of animals are being met. Consequently, it is necessary to develop basic studies and applied protocols that aim to evaluate the quality of enclosures and procedures and propose improvements so that the existence of these animals is respected.

Thus, we are interested in the study of animal behavior involving basic research with the development of ethograms associated with complementary studies involving neuroscience, biochemistry and genetics. In addition, I am interested in applied studies that evaluate behavioral responses to interventions aimed at improving the confinement and management system, as well as proposing invasive protocols through applications and artificial intelligence.

Dr. Marta Luciane Fischer

Section Editors