The background of Prof. Dr. B.M. Spruijt consists of two main components:

(i) one is a chair in Ethology and Welfare involving research on the sensitivity of reward systems and positive emotions. This research is aimed at the assessment of welfare from the perspective of the animal. Moreover, for the early detection or prevention of welfare problems one should measure the appraisal of the animal of its environment rather than wait until post hoc pathological symptoms of chronic stress have been developed.

The need for welfare measurement in for instance husbandry practices at a large scale and the need for objective measurements inspired an already long existing interest in automation and valorisation of ethological procedures. Furthermore, also in behavioural neuroscience, behavioural pharmacology and toxicology an urgent need for less laborious and more reliable and reproducible methodology exists, being more animal friendly at the same time. For rodents, recently a system (PhenoTyper^®) has been developed that prevents the influence of confounding factors such as the presence of human observers, transport before the test, etc. (Spruijt and de Visser, 2006; de Visser et al., 2007, 2006). It also allows the distinct assessment of reactions to novelty, anxiety and cognitive performance as the system is equipped with various programmable (aversive and rewarding) stimuli to activate various behavioural systems in the home cage.

The collaboration with Noldus Information Technology (Wageningen, the Netherlands) resulted in the founding of a company Delta Phenomics, housed at Utrecht Science Park of this university offering contract research services  for pharma, food companies and other research institutes

This is a clear example of valorisation of applied scientific activities facilitating also basic research activities in line with the rationale:  well being of the animals is indispensable for a valid animal model. This rationale contributes to the principle of the three R’s.