Animal experiments have produced an explosion of information about pain, but this knowledge has failed to yield new painkillers for use in humans. This abysmal track record has led to calls to overhaul the design of preclinical studies. Elie Dolgin goes to great pains to learn how monitoring rodents’ facial expressions and brain activity might offer a more effective and humane way to test drug candidates.

Click here to read the rest of the news feature, part of our November special focus on understanding the neurobiological basis of pain and the challenges to translate these advances into new analgesics.