Guest Profile

Emily Trunnell Ph.D.

Dr. Emily Trunnell is the director of PETA’s Science Advancement and Outreach division, where she leads a team working to improve science policy and publishing and to replace the use of animals with superior research methods. Her work has led to multiple victories, including persuading 16 companies—including Johnson & Johnson, Bayer, and other top pharmaceutical companies—to end their use of the forced swim test, during which experimenters drop small animals into inescapable containers filled with water and watch as the terrified animals struggle to keep their heads above water. Dr. Trunnell earned a B.S. in nutrition science and a Ph.D. in neuroscience from the University of Georgia. Her peer-reviewed papers, letters, and opinion pieces have appeared in numerous publications, including Advanced Science, Drug Discovery Today, and Scientific American.