~ 162 ~ The Pharma Innovation Journal 2018; 7(9): 162-166 ISSN (E): 2277- 7695 ISSN (P): 2349-8242 NAAS Rating: 5.03 TPI 2018; 7(9): 162-166 © 2018 TPI www.thepharmajournal.com Received: 22-07-2018 Accepted: 24-08-2018 Rahul Choudhary Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education Mahatma Jyotiba Fule College of Veterinary and Animal Science, Chomu, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India Gautam Associate Professor, Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education, College of Veterinary Science, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar, Haryana, India SS Sangwan Professor & Head of Department, Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education, College of Veterinary Science, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar, Haryana, India Rakesh Ahuja Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education, College of Veterinary Science, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar, Haryana, India Correspondence Rakesh Ahuja Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education, College of Veterinary Science, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar, Haryana, India Animal scientists and students perception toward xenotransplantation Rahul Choudhary, Gautam, SS Sangwan and Rakesh Ahuja Abstract Xenotransplantation is a burgeoning technology that could provide a solution to the shortage of organs and tissue for transplantation. It does, however, raise many moral and ethical dilemmas. The aim of this study was to evaluate the perception of veterinary students' and scientists at Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar to determine factors that affect their acceptance. The sample constituted randomly chosen scientists and students. The perception was conceptualized as positive or negative inclination towards acceptance of xenotransplantation and was assessed using a questionnaire. Mean perception about xenotransplantation score of respondents was 61.27 and the differences in mean score of scientists and students was negligible. Further, a majority of respondents were having moderate acceptance of xenotransplantation. Almost one third were having a strongly favourable perception. Educational qualification was significantly having an impact on the perception about xenotransplantation. Keywords: Xenotransplantation, perception, veterinary education Introduction Xenotransplantation is the transplantation of living cells, tissues or organs from one species to another (Kress and J.M. 1998) [1] . However, modifying or manipulating animal genomes, is considered akin to breaking usual boundaries among biological species (For example, Verhoog, 1992) [2] . Also, transplant process is regarded as unacceptable because the contradictory outcomes occur for both humans and animals (Kaiser, M. 2004) [3] . The technology is fundamentally dependent on the use of animals, animal welfare and harm (Pearce et al. 2006) [4] conducted a study to evaluate undergraduate university students' opinions on the xenotransplantation and concluded that the medical need for organs was highlighted as the most important argument in favour, and the risk of infection was revealed to be the most important argument against xenotransplantation. The students would significantly prefer a human to non-human animal organ, and did not believe the genetic modification of animals for transplantation was ethically acceptable. On the other hand, the acceptance and use of the xenotransplantation requires construction of an adequate explanation to overcome such dilemmas. Yet, how the individual respond to the idea depends largely on their perception. Perception is closely related to opinions, attitudes and behaviours (Tevelde et al. 2002) [5] . Schacter and Daniel (2011) [6] define perception as the organization, identification, and interpretation of sensory information in order to represent and understand the environment. It depends on complex functions of the nervous system, but subjectively seems mostly effortless because this processing happens outside conscious awareness (Goldstein 2009) [7] . Perceptions develop through interaction between what people see and hear and their past experience, knowledge, beliefs and expectations. These are often expressed through words and may be associated with images, including metaphors (George, 2010) [8] . The purpose of this study was to determine the perception, and factors affecting these perceptions, of veterinary student as well as scientists concerning xenotransplantation. Materials and Methods The study was conducted at Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (LUVAS), Hisar.All the animal scientists at LUVAS, Hisar were taken as universe for the sample. A sample of 50 members was drawn randomly by simple lottery method. Similarly, a sample of 120 students (100 undergraduates and 20 postgraduate) was drawn. The list of undergraduate students in each class was obtained and 20 students were randomly chosen using simple lottery method. Similarly, a list of all Post-graduate students was prepared. Then 20 students were randomly selected for the study.