Inside UW–Madison’s primate labs: 2,000 monkeys and the cost of caring

UW–Madison alum and former primate caretaker Madeline Krasno shares a rare firsthand look inside the university’s primate research program, where approximately 2,000 monkeys are housed. Through stories of the animals she knew and cared for, she explores a part of animal research that is rarely discussed: what happens when people enter this work because they care, only to find that the job asks them to act against that care—and what they carry with them afterward.

After UW–Madison restricted her on social media for criticizing its animal research program, Krasno successfully challenged the university in a First Amendment lawsuit. She later co-founded Justify to support people with firsthand experience in animal research, help them share their stories, and accelerate the transition toward science without animal or human suffering. Moving beyond simple labels of heroes and villains, this presentation asks audiences to consider the lives hidden inside UW’s laboratories, why speaking openly…