Michael Festing 4162649 208459123 2008-04-27T04:04:04Z Johnpacklambert 2308770 /* References */ {{animal testing}} '''Michael Festing''' is a [[United Kingdom|British]] research scientist best known for his interest in [[animal testing]]. He is one of 19 members of the UK's [[Animal Procedures Committee]], which advises the [[Home Secretary]] on matters related to animal testing. He was previously a trustee of the Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments (FRAME), which funds and promotes research into the use of animal alternatives. [http://www.frame.org.uk/index.htm] FRAME is financed by animal charities such as the RSPCA, as well as the pharmaceutical and animal-testing industries. [http://www.frame.org.uk/frameinfo/corpsupport.htm] He is also a council member of the Institute of Laboratory Animals Research USA. [http://www.apc.gov.uk/members/interest.htm] Most of Michael Festing's career has been involved in promoting reduction of the numbers of animals used in research. Nonetheless, Festing has been criticized by the [[animal rights movement]] for his investment in companies that engage in animal testing, which according to the Animal Procedures Committee register of members' interests, [http://www.apc.gov.uk/members/interest.htm] includes [[AstraZeneca]], GlaxoSmithKline, Alizyme, Akambis, Cambridge Antibody, [[Shire Pharmaceuticals]], and [[Celltech]]. [http://www.curedisease.com/mediafestingwhois.html] He is also a consultant [[geneticist]] to [[Harlan (company)|Harlan UK]], which supplies animals to laboratories. [http://www.apc.gov.uk/members/interest.htm] ==Life and education== Festing is a chartered statistician, has a Ph.D in quantitative genetics from [[Iowa State University]], and a D.Sc. from the [[University of London]]. He is the father of [[Simon Festing]], the executive director of the [[Research Defence Society]], which focuses on supplying information about, and defending, the use of animals in medical experiments in the UK. ==Research== Festing is the author of over 200 scientific papers on laboratory animal genetics and related issues. He has a particular interest in improving the design of animal experiments, particularly in the area of [[Animal testing#Toxicology tests|toxicology testing]]. He has written books cataloguing laboratory animals, including ''International Index of Laboratory Animals'' and ''Inbred Strains in Biomedical Research''. ==Award== He was the winner in 1996 of the [[GlaxoSmithKline]] Laboratory Animal Welfare Prize for his work while at the [[University of Leicester]] on "improved experimental design leading to reductions in the use of laboratory animals." [http://www.rds-online.org.uk/pages/page.asp?i_ToolbarID=4&i_PageID=163] ==References== *[http://www.pharmadiscoveryevent.com/App/homepage.cfm?linkid=20872&moduleid=451&pram=52877&appname=100304 Brief biography of Michael Festing], PharmaDiscovery, retrieved February 22, 2006 *[http://www.frame.org.uk/frameinfo/corpsupport.htm Corporate members of FRAME], Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments, retrieved February 22, 2006 *[http://www.apc.gov.uk/members/interest.htm Current APC Members and Register of Interests], Animal Procedures Committee, retrieved February 22, 2006 *[http://www.curedisease.com/mediafestingwhois.html "RDS, Michael Festing, and Simon Festing: Who's Who"], Americans for Medical Advancement, retrieved February 22, 2006 *[http://www.rds-online.org.uk/pages/page.asp?i_ToolbarID=4&i_PageID=163 "GlaxoSmithKline laboratory animal welfare prize"], Research Defence Society {{DEFAULTSORT:Festing, Michael}} [[Category:Animal testing]] [[Category:Animal rights]] [[Category:Alumni of the University of London]] [[Category:Academics of the University of Leicester]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]] [[Category:Iowa State University alumni]]