Narrator: This is Science Today. The University of California Center for Animal Alternatives is a systemwide center dedicated to improving methods of dealing with animals in research, education and testing. Lynette Hart, who directs the center, says there are many ways this can be accomplished.

Hart: Including replacement alternatives, but also just refining the way we care for animals. Husbandry, improving all aspects of animal care, utilizing more alternatives for teaching so that fewer actual animals are used.

Narrator: This includes state-of-the-art software programs and other specimens, which are used by students and faculty at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine to study comparative anatomy.

Hart: Each week, they have one hundred different kinds of specimens and microscopic slides and different things that are actually very tactile that they can examine during their laboratory each week. We're using these kinds of specimens that are reusable, rather than having to kill any animals for that purpose.

Narrator: For Science Today, I'm Larissa Branin.