142. Animal Research and the Future of Depression with Prof Emma Robinson

142. Animal Research and the Future of Depression with Prof Emma Robinson

From The Drug Science Podcast by Drug Science

December 10, 2025 · 1h 1m · Episode 142

About this episode

Prof Emma Robinson discusses the role of animal research in understanding depression and the ethical considerations involved.

Join us in this episode as we speak with Emma Robinson, a professor of psychopharmacology at the University of Bristol with extensive experience in animal research. She unpacks the regulations surrounding animal research, offering a scientist’s view on animal rights activism, ethical tension, and why this work remains essential. Robinson also delves into the emerging intersection of psychedelics and animal research, describing how these substances are studied and how they might help reshape mental illness. Professor Emma Robinso n UK Government’s Roadmap to Ending Animal Testing PETA Confrontation Cognitive and affective models of psychedelics in rodents Psilocybin Ketamine British Neuroscience lecture with Prof Robinson and Prof Nutt The 3Hs Initiative ★ Support this podcast ★

People in this episode

Host: Prof Nutt

Guest: Prof Emma Robinson

Topics covered

  • animal research
  • depression
  • psychedelics
  • ethics
  • mental illness
  • animal rights

Keywords

  • animal research
  • depression
  • psychedelics
  • ethical tension
  • mental illness
  • Psilocybin
  • Ketamine

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Bristol, PETA, UK Government

Books & works: British Neuroscience lecture

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