Improving animal research with an institutional electronic discussion group

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Research
• Laboratory Animal Science
• Scientific Communication

Background:

• Scientific discovery requires new approaches and resources, which become harder to share in large institutions.
• Effective communication and resource sharing are crucial for advancing research.
• Facilitating collaboration among researchers using mice is essential for efficient scientific progress.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish an electronic discussion group for mouse researchers at Johns Hopkins University.
• To enhance communication and resource sharing among a diverse group of animal researchers.
• To document the administration, applications, and benefits of an electronic mailing list for mouse users.

Main Methods:

• Formation of an electronic discussion group (jhu-mousers) restricted to institutional members.
• Tracking postings related to seminars, resources, equipment, reagents, and technical assistance.
• Analyzing response rates to requests for resources and technical help.

Main Results:

• The jhu-mousers group, with 145 subscribers, received 207 postings in 2.5 years.
• 70% of requests for resources or technical assistance received at least one response.
• The mailing list facilitated opportunities for tissue sharing and refining experimental procedures.

Conclusions:

• Electronic discussion groups effectively enhance communication and resource sharing among researchers.
• This model promotes the use of alternatives in animal research by facilitating collaboration.
• The developed framework can assist other institutions in establishing similar animal-user discussion groups.