<unk> , also known as<unk>  experimentation,<unk>  research, and in vivo<unk> , is the use of non-human<unk> s in experiments that seek to control the variables that affect the behavior or biological system under study. This approach can be contrasted with field studies in which<unk> s are observed in their natural environments or habitats. Experimental research with<unk> s is usually conducted in universities, medical schools, pharmaceutical companies, defense establishments, and commercial facilities that provide<unk>  services to the industry. The focus of<unk>  varies on a continuum from pure research, focusing on developing fundamental knowledge of an organism, to applied research, which may focus on answering some questions of great practical importance, such as finding a cure for a disease. Examples of applied research include<unk>  disease treatments, breeding, defense research, and toxicology, including cosmetics<unk> . In education,<unk>  is sometimes a component of biology or psychology courses. The practice is regulated to varying degrees in different countries. It was estimated in 2010 that the annual use of vertebrate<unk> s—from zebrafish to non-human primates—ranges from tens to over 100 million. In the European Union, vertebrate species represent 93% of<unk> s used in research, and 11.5 million<unk> s were used there in 2011. By one estimate, the number of mice and rats used in the United States alone in 2001 was 80 million. In 2013 it was reported that mammals (mice and rats), fish, amphibians, and reptiles together accounted for over 85% of research<unk> s.
Animal testing
Risk assessment
Bioanalysis
Test panel
Risk panel
Human challenge study
Safety data sheet
Clinical epidemiology