“I love animals and people. And I believe that transparency, reason and compassion can bring us together to guide more informed and loving approaches for studying health and disease.” - Dr. Cindy Buckmaster
About Your Host
Dr. Buckmaster has a PhD in Neurobiology and Behavior. She has worked in research and laboratory animal science for nearly 30 years. She was formerly the Director of the Center for Comparative Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and is currently a Strategic Advisor for Transnetyx and COO of the Turner Scientific Monitoring. Cindy’s involvement in the lab animal community spans a wide range of educational, advocacy, and public outreach organizations, as well, and she is frequently interviewed by the media for her knowledge of basic research with animals and laboratory animal care. In addition to her roles with Transnetyx and Turner Scientific, she is currently the Director for Public Outreach with the National Animal Interest Alliance, the Past-Chair and Spokesperson of Americans for Medical Progress, and the President of the Texas Society for Biomedical Research.
Cindy celebrating Dash the pig’s birthday with a marshmallow treat.
Cindy’s Doctoral Dissertation Dedication (August 2000)
It has taken me six years to complete this project. In this time I’ve come to realize that none of my sacrifices could ever equal those imposed on the monkeys who lost everything for this information. It was a privilege to work with these intelligent and sensitive creatures and an honor to know them. Their memory will be etched in my being for the rest of my life. I look forward to a day when science can answer all questions in the absence of animal studies. Meanwhile, I pray that science and the rest of humankind will look upon all animals with compassion, empathy, and gratitude, and accept responsibility for the condition of their lives. After all, animals have been, and continue to be, vital to our very existence, enabling us to shape the world to suit our needs, quite often at their expense.
This is a photo of Danny, the cynomolgus macaque that has inspired Dr. Buckmaster’s life long work.