# Vicious Hamsters created in the Lab



## hollydolly (Jun 4, 2022)

_Scientists inadvertently bred a horde of unusually aggressive hamsters after a gene editing experiment to 'reduce aggression' went wrong.

Researchers at Georgia State University produced new rodents without hormone vasopressin in an effort to raise 'social communication' between the rodents.

Yet the chemical change turned the Syrian hamsters wild, prompting fights inside cages.

The ultra-vicious hamsters were pictured pinning, biting and chasing each other.

Lead researcher Professor Elliott Albers said: 'We anticipated [...] we would reduce both aggression and social communication — but the opposite happened.'

They key hormone Avpr1a was thought to regulate friendship and bonding, with its removal expected to increase harmony between the animals.

Instead, the lab experiment recorded 'high levels of aggression towards other same-sex individuals'.

Professor Albers said: 'We were really surprised at the results.'

It was thought that vasopressin affects the social behaviours of hamsters including aggression and communication.






To investigate further, scientists deactivated Avpr1a, removing a receptor that interacts with vasopressin in key regions of the brain.

Now immune to the hormone, it was thought the rodents would become friendlier.

The results were anything but, with a heightened frequency of fighting, biting, chasing and pinning down among the hamsters in their cages. 

The study's striking conclusions challenge scientists' understanding of the relationship between biology and behaviour.

The professor added: We don’t understand this system as well as we thought we did. 

'The counterintuitive findings tell us we need to start thinking about the actions of these receptors across entire circuits of the brain, not just in specific brain regions.

'Developing gene-edited hamsters was not easy. But it is important to understand that the neurocircuitry involved in human social behaviour and our model has [...] relevance for human health.'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10884147/Vicious-hamsters-bred-lab-accident.html
_


----------



## Em in Ohio (Jun 4, 2022)

WHOOPS!  That being said, scientists do hopefully learn from their failures as much as they learn from their successes, if not more.  Gene therapy is a new frontier with great potential.  However, they should try hard to avoid creating radical rodents in the future!


----------



## hollydolly (Jun 4, 2022)

Em in Ohio said:


> WHOOPS!  That being said, scientists do hopefully learn from their failures as much as they learn from their successes, if not more.  Gene therapy is a new frontier with great potential.  However, they should try hard to avoid creating radical rodents in the future!


True... and we can only hope that none 'escape' from the Lab...


----------



## Becky1951 (Jun 4, 2022)

Gene editing experiment, gee what could go wrong?


----------



## Murrmurr (Jun 4, 2022)

Becky1951 said:


> Gene editing experiment, gee what could go wrong?


To alter social behavior. Why? What's the goal here, I wonder.


----------



## GoneFishin (Jun 4, 2022)

@hollydolly


New Film > Attack Of The Hamsters


----------



## Murrmurr (Jun 4, 2022)

hollydolly said:


> True... and we can only hope that none 'escape' from the Lab...


Georgia State University in Atlanta _-_ the university that was sharing research with the Wuhan Institute of Virology_._


----------



## Murrmurr (Jun 4, 2022)

GoneFishin said:


> @hollydolly
> 
> 
> New Film > Attack Of The Hamsters


----------



## WheatenLover (Jun 4, 2022)

Murrmurr said:


> To alter social behavior. Why? What's the goal here, I wonder.


_Lead researcher Professor Elliott Albers said: 'We anticipated [...] we would reduce both aggression and social communication — but the opposite happened.'

The study's striking conclusions challenge scientists' understanding of the relationship between biology and behaviour._


----------



## JonSR77 (Jun 4, 2022)

In general, we should mess with Mother Nature as little as possible.

Sometimes the scientists seem more like mad scientists, than responsible professionals with a dedication to basic decency.

There is always a way to attain scientific information or engage other research and business paradigms without defaulting down to the easiest, most cruel policies.

To be clear...

First the scientists can try mathematical modeling / computer modeling --- no creatures involved.

If that is not sufficient, they can try petri dishes of cell cultures...from cell cultures taken without any suffering.

If that is not sufficient, they can try, single cell organisms,

If that is not sufficient, they can try multiple cellular microscopic organism,

If that is not sufficient, they can try primitive organisms: worms, mollusks, and on.

If that is not sufficient, they can try insects.

And by the time they would try more evolved organisms and mammals...something like 99% of animals testing on higher animals would not be necessary.

And, by the way, before they experiment on bunnies and monkeys, they definitely should experiment on politicians...


----------



## GoneFishin (Jun 4, 2022)

Murrmurr said:


> View attachment 223808


----------



## Knight (Jun 4, 2022)

Fast forward 50 years.
Science has perfected gene editing to be able to create a society of non aggressive humans. 
Further perfection to enhance the ability to dominate by a select small group also achieved.


----------



## Becky1951 (Jun 4, 2022)

Knight said:


> Fast forward 50 years.
> Science has perfected gene editing to be able to create a society of non aggressive humans.
> Further perfection to enhance the ability to dominate by a select small group also achieved.


"create a society of non aggressive humans"

Humans who never question any authority and follow orders. A Stepford society. (Stepford wives movie)


----------



## SeniorBen (Jun 4, 2022)

Knight said:


> Fast forward 50 years.
> Science has perfected gene editing to be able to create a society of non aggressive humans.
> Further perfection to enhance the ability to dominate by a select small group also achieved.


That's what Christianity was supposed to do, with it's passive Jesus and the "turn the other cheek" philosophy. The Romans wanted a passive society so the peasants wouldn't fight back.


----------



## Pappy (Jun 4, 2022)

Hope they send a batch of them to China. Payback for Covid 19.


----------



## Murrmurr (Jun 4, 2022)

SeniorBen said:


> That's what Christianity was supposed to do, with it's passive Jesus and the "turn the other cheek" philosophy. The Romans wanted a passive society so the peasants wouldn't fight back.


Maybe scientists really _are_ gods.


----------



## Murrmurr (Jun 4, 2022)

Pappy said:


> Hope they send a batch of them to China. Payback for Covid 19.


What'dya wanna bet China invested in this study? Whatever the bet, you're on.


----------



## Murrmurr (Jun 4, 2022)

Knight said:


> Fast forward 50 years.
> Science has perfected gene editing to be able to create a society of non aggressive humans.
> Further perfection to enhance the ability to dominate by a select small group also achieved.


So, win-win, right? We'll have to bring back that song _Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries_....and live & laugh at it all. woopee!


----------

