Biogeography and Transgenic Life
Lead Research Organisation:
University College London
Department Name: Geography
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Gail Davies (Principal Investigator / Fellow) |
Publications
Davies G
(2010)
On the Politics of Lapdogs, Jim's Dog, and Crittercams
in Environment and Planning D: Society and Space
Davies G
(2010)
Where do experiments end?
in Geoforum
Davies G
(2012)
Caring for the Multiple and the Multitude: Assembling Animal Welfare and Enabling Ethical Critique
in Environment and Planning D: Society and Space
Davies G
(2013)
Writing biology with mutant mice: The monstrous potential of post genomic life
in Geoforum
Davies G
(2011)
Playing dice with mice: building experimental futures in Singapore
in New Genetics and Society
Davies G
(2008)
Thinking, Reasoning and Writing with Animals in the Biosciences
in BioSocieties
Davies G
(2012)
What is a Humanized Mouse? Remaking the Species and Spaces of Translational Medicine
in Body & Society
Del Casino, Dr. Vincent J., Jr.; Thomas, Mary E.; Cloke, Paul; Panelli, Ruth
(2011)
A Companion to Social Geography
Gail Davies (Speaker)
(2010)
Playing dice with mice : biological exuberance and stabilising value
Gail Davies (author)
(2009)
Mapping mutant mice : the monstrous biology of post-genomic life
| Description | There was no prior research taking a comparative and integrative approach to the production, circulation, and regulation of genetically-altered animals in the global bioeconomy. The fellowship produced substantive research on how these animals are embedded in different epistemic, ethical and economic cultures in the UK, USA and Singapore. It also identified ways these animals are moving: internationally, in the large-scale collaborative initiatives of functional genomics; corporeally, in novel animal models in translational research; and affectively, in new knowledge of animal behaviour relevant to experimental data and ethics. These shifts have implications for scientific practices and social scientific accounts of the mobilization of animal capacities in biomedical research in the following three areas: 1) Animal models and translational research: There are specific, important findings from the research about the use of animal models in translational research and personalized medicine. Demands to translate research from bench-to-bedside increase animal use, while new understanding of biological difference change articulations of human and animal equivalence. These have innovative potential, but also raise new questions in the extension of experimental systems into clinical contexts. 2) Global visions for laboratory animal research: The biosciences are increasingly central to economic and nation-building strategies, with implications for national and international governance of laboratory animal research. The research has demonstrated how different global visions of the future of animal research compete to shape international agendas and institutions whilst reflecting prior national epistemic, economic, and ethical commitments. 3) Experimental and ethical practices in postgenomics: Research to integrate biological complexity with genomic data raises experimental and ethical questions. The shift from earlier gene paradigms opens questions for scientists - about standardisation, spatial variables, appropriate apparatus, data integration and external validity, while for social scientists emerging and multiple experimental systems challenge universal application of the '3Rs' in animal research. The research demonstrates how these epistemic, biological and social dimensions interact, proposing new approaches for considering the ethics of animal research. 4) Biology and social science critique: The complexities of translational research, globalisation and postgenomics demand new forms of interdisciplinarity and creative engagement between the sciences, arts and social sciences to open spaces for affirmative critique. This is both a finding and a central commitment of the fellowship, born out in creative forms of writing and ongoing collaboration with the artist Helen Scalway. |
| Exploitation Route | Scientific researchers (in academia and commercial settings) are a key audience for this research, especially in their interface with public and policy contexts. Incorporating the perspectives of a wide range of respondents has been central to the research. Collaborative activities involved the organization of three interdisciplinary workshops to develop dialogue around animal welfare, transbiology and experimental practices. Dissemination includes a mix of interdisciplinary presentations, international workshops and collaborative events, with workshop papers circulated to participants and comments incorporated in outputs. The research thus has considerable resources for understanding the relationship between different knowledges and values that come together in debates about the future of animal research. For policy-makers it provides information about the diversity of these views across different disciplinary and national contexts, offering insights into the implications of this complexity for emerging patterns of international collaboration in science and the evaluation and regulation of animal research. For publics, the incorporation of artistic work and a website opens up the potential for imaginative and alternative public debate. 1) Science & policy: Research has connected questions of animal research and translational medicine, across national and international contexts. Biomedical and animal researchers, NGOs and policy-makers valued opportunities to reflect on their work in workshops and interviews. The research was presented back to the animal research community at presentations in UC Davis and at the World Congress on alternatives to animal research in Montreal. These conversations are continuing in planning the next phases of research and dissemination. 2) Social science: Scholars from geography, animal studies, science and technology studies and sociology attended presentations, reading groups and workshops. Impacts include conceptual resources for understanding the mobilization of animal capacities within different experimental systems and ethical practices across biomedical arenas. 3) Artists: Engagements with artists have informed creative practices on the boundaries between the arts and sciences, and between humans and animals, most notably in collaborations with Helen Scalway, but also through conversations with Rich Pell (Office of PostNatural History) and Priska Gisler (grant to Swiss National Science Foundation). |
| Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Healthcare |
| Description | Findings have been informing policy debates via the role of Professor Davies on the Home Office's new Animals in Science Committee (from 2013- onwards), with particular responsibilities for review of harm-benefit analysis in animal reseearch. Prof Davies Davies has also been working with three artists on visualising the geographies of contemporary science and technology: Helen Scalway on developing new collaborative work and a website mapping spaces of postgenomic sciences (www.micespace.org); Rich Pell (Center for PastNatural History) on curating mutant mouse models for his collection; and Neal White (Office of Experiments) to develop critical institutional responses to changing experimental geographies. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2013 |
| Sector | Education,Government, Democracy and Justice,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Impact Types | Cultural,Policy & public services |
| Description | Society and Ethics small grant |
| Amount | £5,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | WT104339MA |
| Organisation | Wellcome Trust |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2014 |
| End | 11/2014 |
| Description | Captivity and captivation : remaking agency and capacity in the laboratory |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Invited keynote presentation at Material Geographies, Workshop 2, Department of Geography, Durham University Developing material geographies agenda at Durham |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |
| URL | http://materialgeographies.wordpress.com/archive-1-2/ |
| Description | Engineering performance or performing engineering standards? : globalization and the application of the three Rs |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | An invited Plenary Lecture at the 8th World Congress on Alternatives and Animal Use in the Life Sciences Engagement in this international arena is likely to have resulted, in part, invitation to join UK government's 'Animals in Science Committee' |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
| URL | http://www.wc8.ccac.ca/programs |
| Description | Ethnographic encounters with experimental animals : towards a biogeography of postgenomic life |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | Invited speaker, Anthropology Colloquia, Anthropology Department, UC Irvine, USA Interdisciplinary exchange, including in the pre-development of the Knowledge Value seminar http://knowledge-value.org/ |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |
| URL | http://www.democ.uci.edu/events/eventdetails.php?eid=1148 |
| Description | From small stories to big questions : reflections on a social scientist in a world of mice |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | Workshop paper prepared for the ESRC Genomics Workshop, Making it Big? Tracing collaboration, complexity and control in the biosciences Special issue published which is exploring the emerging contours of big biology |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |
| Description | Geography, knowledge production and post genomics : competing global visions for laboratory animal science |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | Invited presentation to the Department of Geography; Science Technology and Society Cluster and Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore. interdisciplinary exchange |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |
| URL | http://www.fas.nus.edu.sg/geog/pdf_doc/Davies.pdf |
| Description | Humanized mice : are we there yet? |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | Paper prepared for discussion at the project workshop 'The Space of Transbiology' in London building interdisciplinary discussions around translational research |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |
| Description | Locating species identity : towards a political biogeography of transgenic animals |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | Cabinet of Natural History, History and Philosophy of Science Department, Cambridge University, UK Interdisciplinary exchange |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008 |
| URL | http://talks.cam.ac.uk/talk/index/9541 |
| Description | Making mice, making space : tracing the geographies of transgenic mice welfare |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | Invited speaker. The Health and Welfare of the Manufactured Animal, one day workshop at Centre for the History of Science Technology and Medicine (CHSTM) and the Veterinary History Society, University of Manchester Interidisciplinary exchange |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008 |
| URL | http://www.chstm.manchester.ac.uk/newsandevents/conferences/manufacturedanimal/ |
| Description | Murine biogeographies : placing stories of mutant mice and virgin births |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | Paper at the Society for the Social Studies of Science and European Association for the Study of Science and Technology (EASST), Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Session on Standardizing, Controlling, and Understanding the Mouse in Biomedical Research. Meeting with collaborators who are still in touch |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008 |
| Description | Mutant mice : the monstrous potential of postgenomics |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | This is a podcast of Dr Gail Davies' presentation of the same name, given on 10 February 2010 at the Open University, which was part of the Open University's 'OpenSpace spatially thinking' seminar series. invitation to do further podcast! |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |
| URL | http://www.open.ac.uk/researchcentres/osrc/news/mutant-mice-the-monstrous-potential-of-postgenomics |
| Description | Representing transgenic animals : the place and politics of debates about species identity |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | Invited speaker, British Animal Studies Network Seminar Series. Session Representing Animals developing interface between animal studies and laboratory studies |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |
| Description | Rethinking scale and relations with humanized mice |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Paper presented in the series on issues in scale at the Oxford University Institute for Science, Innovation and Society Discussion about interface between science studies and animal studies |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010,2011 |
| URL | http://www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/centres/insis/events/Documents/sts-seminars-trinity10.pdf |
| Description | The entangled spaces of translational research : from the human in the mouse to the mouse in the clinic |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | Paper presented at a seminar on The New Body: Medicine, Technology and Bodily Life at the Department of Geography, Durham University Excchange with medical humanities and geography |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |
| URL | https://www.dur.ac.uk/wolfson.institute/events/?eventno=7375 |
| Description | The science and social science of animal welfare |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Laboratory presentation to Department of Animal Sciences, University of California Davis, USA generate discussion amongst lab animal practitioners |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009,2010 |
| Description | Towards a biogeography of transgenic animals |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | Geography Department seminar Queen's University Belfast Discussion of geographies of science, especially connecting across historical and contemporary geography |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009,2010 |
| URL | http://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/gap/Research/SocietySpaceandCultureSSC/Seminarsfor2008-9/ |
| Description | Transforming behaviour : human and animal nature in the behavioural genetics laboratory |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | Presentation in the 'What is medicine?' seminar series at the Centre for the Study of Invention and Social Process (CSISP), Goldsmiths College, London. Involvement in special issue of journal |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |
| URL | http://www.gold.ac.uk/calendar/?id=2941 |