Symposia

2025 Animal and Natural Resource Law Review Symposium

Beyond the Lab: Animals and Alternatives in Testing and Research

Hosted in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins University Toxicology Policy Program, the 2025 symposium, Beyond the Lab: Animals and Alternatives in Testing and Research, brought together leading legal scholars, scientists, and policy experts to discuss the transition away from using animals in research and the advancement of non-animal testing methods. Attendees engaged in panels exploring the legal, scientific, and policy challenges surrounding animal research, learned about breakthroughs in non-animal testing technologies, and participated in conversations on advocacy, regulatory reform, and the future of ethical research.

Panel 1: Animals in Research and Testing — Laws, Policies, and Emerging Issues

This panel examined the legal and regulatory frameworks that govern animal research, including the Animal Welfare Act and the Health Research Extension Act. Panelists discussed current challenges, limitations in enforcement, and the evolving role of administrative and state-level oversight in shaping the future of research policy.

Panel 2: Alternatives to Animals in Research and Testing — Where Are We?

This science-focused panel explored the development and implementation of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), including in vitro testing, organ-on-a-chip systems, organoids, artificial intelligence, and public data mining. The session also featured a virtual lab tour of the Kim Lab at Johns Hopkins University, providing a behind-the-scenes look at cutting-edge research and experimental workflows. Panelists shared insights on the progress, limitations, and regulatory considerations of these innovative alternatives to animal testing.

Past Symposia

2024 — Navigating Waters: Legal and Policy Perspectives on Great Lakes Conservation and Management

2023 — The Cross-Section of Animal Law and the First Amendment

2022 — Space: The Next Legal Frontier

2020 — Cats in Captivity: Private Exotic Animal Ownership & the Horrors of Roadside Zoos

2019 — The Dilemma of Wild Horses and What To Do With Them

2018 — Service Animals and the Law

2017 — Inevitably Vegan: The History and Future of the Meat Industry

2016 — Invasive Species: More than a Pest and Legal Enforcement Issues

2015 — A Future Harvest For America's Cities: Agriculture and Livestock as a Tool for Urban Renewal

2014 — Deforestation and Biodiversity Loss in a Climate Change Context

2013 — Chicken Farming in the 21st Century: A Look at the Legal, Ethical, & Environmental Concerns Associated with Poultry Confinement