Bermudian scientist Derek Norford will take part in a forum tonight on the use of animals in biomedical research.

Dr. Norford is a veterinarian and research scientist at the Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute, at North Carolina Central University

Tonight?s discussion is part of a week of celebrations at the college entitled Corange Science Week

The college?s science department is sponsored by Corange Limited, a pharmaceutical company.

Dr. Norford will also spend his time on the Island touring schools and talking to students.

As part of the forum, Dr. Norford will discuss the ethics of using animals in medical research, including the act of vivisection, where the body of a living animal is dissected for the purposes of scientific research.

Supporters believe vivisection provides valuable information used in establishing treatment regimes for both humans and animals, while detractors insist that animals have rights and that it is immoral to use them in research.

Dr. Norford has conducted biological research for more than 18 years.

He is currently studying nitric oxide production using fluorescence microscopy and detection of nitric oxide syntheses in neuroblastoma and glioma cell lines.

He is the author of six publications and has been guest lecturer at the Duke University Medical Centre and the National Institute of Environmental Health Science.

Educated at Victor Scott Primary School, formerly Central School, and Sandys Secondary School, Dr. Norford now lives in North Carolina with his wife. They have one daughter.

The forum will begin tonight at 7 p.m. in the college?s North Hall Lecture Theatre.