Ep82 Augusto Vitale on behaviour and care of common marmosets and the welfare of animals used in biomedical research

“In this endless discussion [about animal experimentation] we completely forget that animals are used now and they need our attention now.” - Augusto Vitale & Sabrina Brando

Dr Augusto Vitale joins us to share his experience in the study of non-human primate behaviour and welfare. Since 1991 Augusto has worked as a researcher at the Istituto Superiore di Sanità in Rome (Italy) dedicating his scientific activity to investigate behaviour, cognition and welfare of non-human primates, with a focus on common marmosets used in neuroscience and biomedical research.

He guides us in discovering the work of ethologists and evolutionary biologists who contributed to unveiling key aspects of animal behaviour and cognitive skills. He passionately illustrates his research on cooperation and describes how studying common marmosets’ behaviour can shed light on the evolution of altruism in humans.

Augusto also shares with us his work in the EU Expert Working Group responsible for creating guidelines on the protection of animals used in scientific procedures. He discusses the use of animals in experimentation, providing meaningful insight into the current legislation and ethical debate. Augusto concludes by telling us about his strong bond with animals and highlighting the importance of positive human-animal interactions for enhancing captive animal well-being.