The following is an interview with Keerthana Rajesh, a high school student in Bangalore, India, who won a NAVS Humane Science Award at the 2024 International Science and Engineering Fair. Her project focused on the oral side effects of radiation treatment and wound healing properties of a natural treatment in a cell-based model. NAVS reached out to Keerthana to learn more about her education in India and what we can learn from a culture that emphasizes humane science education. We are inspired by her success and commitment to using human-relevant alternatives to animals.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity
Q: Describe your educational experience in science. What did teachers and schools emphasize to help you become a better science student?
Keerthana: The biggest takeaways I have from learning science in the classroom include inquiry, collaboration, and open mindedness. My teachers always encouraged reading outside the classroom, which made me interested in consuming scientific articles, literature, and media. Moreover, we have a sense of community and teamwork within the classroom especially during project and experimental work. Finally, we tend to discuss a lot of perspectives and diverging ideas within science and express our opinions while also respecting others’.
Q: How did your education in science influence your work on the project you presented at ISEF?
Keerthana: What impacted me most in my education was a sense of purpose towards meaningful work. To me this meant focusing on cancer side effects, which aren’t given much importance within mainstream medical discourse and are overshadowed by other more “popular” conditions. I recognized a high incidence of oral mucositis within the Indian patient community and the limited treatment options that are inaccessible to most, and I wanted to solve that. Because I could see this firsthand at a cancer hospital, I felt very driven by my empathy and curiosity, which are also values greatly instilled in me through my education.
Q: In the US, animal dissection is commonly used to teach anatomy and physiology. How do students in India learn this topic since there is a ban on animal dissection in your country?
Keerthana: In 2011, a partial ban was imposed in India, allowing only teacher demonstrations in high school and dissections of unprotected species at the graduate level. Now, dissection is completely banned in high schools and extended to colleges, including medical and veterinary disciplines, allowing only cadaver dissections at specific times.
In high school, we rely mainly on theory. In grades 9 and 10, we learned human physiology through scientific illustrations and simulations. Testing emphasized visualizations and accurately drawing organs to understand spatial arrangement, like showing proportion in the thickness of membranes and the size of valves and vessels. We also studied the location, structure, and function of organs and tissues, including their appearance and specific adaptations for functions.
Currently, I’m studying in the International Baccalaureate diploma program, which has ethical guidelines prohibiting any harm to animals. We have preserved human organs, a life-sized skeleton model, and some taxidermy specimens in the school lab. However, some argue that tech-based alternatives are not sustainable for India’s diverse population, as they aren’t cost-effective or accessible enough in underdeveloped areas.
Q: What can be done to help students pursue their passions and learn more about doing research without harming animals?
Keerthana: Many students, even in my country, see animal dissections and testing as necessary or even fascinating. There’s also a belief that animal testing is essential for the “greater good” due to historical precedence and the lack of popularized alternative research methods. Changing this mindset is key.
While in-vitro biology allowed me to perform detailed analysis within cellular interactions and gene expressions, it’s hard to eliminate the use of animals like mice for drug testing without ethical, accessible, cost-effective, and efficient alternatives. Extensive research and resources are needed for this.
At the high school level, I haven’t been adversely affected by the lack of animal dissection. In student research, more restrictions should be imposed on using animals. Alternatives like molecular, cellular, and plant biology, or in-silico models, can be promoted to encourage rigorous yet ethical research.
