Lucy Unwin

PIPS Host Organisation: Parliamentary Office for Science and Technology (POST)

PIPS Project Title: Technology alternatives to animals in life sciences research

The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) is an impartial research and knowledge exchange service based in the UK Parliament. They work to ensure cutting-edge research evidence and expertise is available to members of both houses of parliament, covering emerging or complex science and social science topics.

During Lucy’s placement, she worked on a parliamentary briefing exploring technology alternatives to the use of animals in life sciences research. This involved synthesising evidence across science, policy, and regulation, and engaging with a wide range of stakeholders to understand the opportunities, risks, and barriers to using alternative technologies in the UK. The topic has attracted significant interest from MPs and Peers and is particularly timely in light of the government’s recent publication of a strategy on replacing animals in scientific research.

Read the full briefing here: https://doi.org/10.58248/PN756

Working on a topic with diverse and sometimes conflicting perspectives gave Lucy the opportunity to develop skills in impartial, evidence-based writing. This experience also deepened her understanding of how scientific evidence is used to inform parliamentary scrutiny and policy discussion, and the importance of neutrality and clarity when supporting decision-making in a political context.

Lucy also had the opportunity to engage with other departments within Parliament during her placement, including presenting her PhD research to the Climate and Environment Hub and helping to write a briefing for a select committee session with the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. This experience provided Lucy with a clearer picture of the inner workings of Parliament, including how Parliament and government are structured, the distinct roles played by parliamentary offices, select committees, and government departments, and how these actors interact throughout the policymaking and scrutiny process.

The DTP are delighted to hear though feedback from their mentor at POST that they excelled during the placement, earning exceptional praise from the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology. Her host described Lucy as an enthusiastic and highly skilled researcher who made a meaningful contribution from day one. She proactively improved research processes, engaged widely across teams, and handled a high‑profile and sensitive project with professionalism and reliability. Her host concluded that she would be an asset to any research team, whether in policy or academia.