Scientific purposes
Although answers can increasingly be found to scientific questions by using alternative approaches such as cell cultures or computer-assisted methods, in the opinion of scientists it is currently not yet possible to do without animal testing completely.
In research carried out at the University of Münster, animals are used as model organisms so that well-founded answers can be obtained to scientific questions in the fields of basic research and transnational and applied research. The following tables and graphics give an overview of the numbers of animals used for scientific purposes, broken down by purpose of experiment.
Overview of animal testing for scientific purposes 2021
The following table gives an overview of the numbers and percentages of animals used for scientific purposes at the University of Münster in 2021. The numbers allocated to the relevant scientific purpose.
Scientific testing purposes 2021 animal count in percent (%) Preservation of colonies of genetically modified animals 16 0.04 University education 42 0.11 Translational and applied research 3,542 9.31 basic research 34,213 89.91 Acquisition/maintenance of professional skills 241 0.63 
Overview of scientific research purposes and the number of animals used for this purpose at the University of Münster in 2021 as a diagram© Team Tierschutz - Universität Münster Laboratory animals used in basic research 2021
The following table provides an overview of the numbers of animals used in basic research at Münster University. The numbers are broken down by research focus.
Basic research
Focus Numbers of animals Developmental biology 4 Oncology 2,189 Endocrinological system / metabolism 391 Multisystemic 5,084 Ethology, animal behaviour, animal biology 294 Cardiovascular system 10,606 Nervous system 4,421 Respiratory system 0 Gastrointestinal system, including liver 98 Musculoskeletal system 1,887 Immune system 8,614 Urogenital system / reproduction 470 Sensory organs 155 
Breakdown of the animals used in basic research in 2021 as a diagram© Team Tierschutz - Universität Münster Laboratory animals in translational and applied research 2021
The following table provides an overview of the numbers of animals used in transnational and applied research at Münster University. Numbers are broken down by focus of research into diseases.
Translational and applied research
Focus Numbers of animals Cancer 56 Infectious diseases 65 Cardiovascular diseases 53 Nervous diseases and mental illness 239 Respiratory Diseases 100 Gastrointestinal diseases, including liver 11 Immune disorders 2,958 Diseases of sensory organs 60 
Breakdown of animals used in translational and applied research in 2021 as a diagram© Team Tierschutz - Universität Münster Overview of animal testing for scientific purposes 2022
The following table gives an overview of the numbers and percentages of animals used for scientific purposes at the University of Münster in 2022. The numbers allocated to the relevant scientific purpose.
Scientific testing purposes 2022 animal count In percent (%) Preservation of colonies of genetically modified animals 173 0.37 Acquisition/maintenance of professional skills 359 0.76 Translational and applied research 3,875 8.26 Basic research 42,529 90.61 
Overview of scientific experimental purposes and the number of animals used for this purpose at the University of Münster from 2022 as a diagram© Team Tierschutz - Universität Münster Laboratory animals used in basic research 2022
The following table provides an overview of the numbers of animals used in basic research at Münster University. The numbers are broken down by research focus.
Basic research
Focus Numbers of animals Developmental biology 0 Oncology 2,639 Endocrinological system / metabolism 192 Multisystemic 3,450 Ethology, animal behaviour, animal biology 463 Cardiovascular system 17,545 Nervous system 6,443 Respiratory system 0 Gastrointestinal system, including liver 29 Musculoskeletal system 2,611 Immune system 8,421 Urogenital system / reproduction 457 Sensory organs 279 
Breakdown of the animals used in translational and applied research in 2022 as a diagram© Team Tierschutz - Universität Münster Laboratory animals in translational and applied research 2022
The following table provides an overview of the numbers of animals used in transnational and applied research at Münster University. Numbers are broken down by focus of research into diseases.
Translational and applied research
Focus Numbers of animals Cancer 51 Infectious diseases 287 Cardiovascular diseases 228 Endocrine system 29 Gastrointestinal diseases, including liver 9 Immune disorders 3,124 Neurological diseases 147 
Breakdown of the animals used in translational and applied research in 2022 as a diagram© Team Tierschutz - Universität Münster Overview of animal testing for scientific purposes 2023
The following table gives an overview of the numbers and percentages of animals used for scientific purposes at the University of Münster in 2023. The numbers allocated to the relevant scientific purpose.
Scientific purposes 2023 animal count In percent (%) Preservation of colonies of genetically modified animals 31 0.1 Acquisition/maintenance of professional skills 191 0.67 Translational and applied research 2,423 8.55 Basic research 25,763 90.68 
Overview of scientific experimental purposes and the number of animals used for this purpose at the University of Münster from 2023 as a diagram© Team Tierschutz - Universität Münster Laboratory animals used in basic research 2023
The following table provides an overview of the numbers of animals used in basic research at Münster University. The numbers are broken down by research focus.
Basic research
Focus Numbers of animals Developmental biology 0 Oncology 1,128 Endocrinological system / metabolism 201 Multisystemic 4,036 Ethology, animal behaviour, animal biology 887 Cardiovascular system 5,683 Nervous system 3,922 Respiratory system 0 Gastrointestinal system, including liver 277 Musculoskeletal system 1,594 Immune system 7,285 Urogenital system / reproduction 703 Sensory organs 47 
Breakdown of animals used in translational and applied research in 2023 as a diagram© Team Tierschutz - Universität Münster Laboratory animals in translational and applied research 2023
The following table provides an overview of the numbers of animals used in transnational and applied research at Münster University. Numbers are broken down by focus of research into diseases.
Translational and applied research
Focus Numbers of animals Cancer 25 Infectious diseases 226 Cardiovascular diseases 64 Neurological diseases 90 Gastrointestinal diseases, including liver 9 Immune disorders 2,009 
Breakdown of animals used in translational and applied research in 2023 as a diagram© Team Tierschutz - Universität Münster