SVEK13099U Laboratory Animal Science category C for the Biomedical Sciences

Volume 2015/2016
Education

MSc Programme in Biology-Biotechnology - semi-compulsory
MSc Programme in Molecular Biomedicine - semi-compulsory
Studerende på veterinæruddannelsen der tager alternativ differentiering
Studerende på natur- og sundhedsvidenskabelige studieretninger

Content

The course includes the following topics:

Legislation, ethics and welfare, comparative and basic biology, nutrition, health, genetics, housing and facilities, occupational health, pain relief incl. anaesthesia and analgesia, experimental design and animal models.

Learning Outcome

The course is a function A/B/D course according to the EU Directive 2010/63 /EU Article 23.2  (previously designated category C) accredited by the Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations as well as the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries under the Danish Government. 
The course gives as practical and theoretic introduction to handling, housing and using laboratory animals and how to replace, refine and reduce the use of live animals for research.

The course adheres to the according to the EU Directive 2010/63 /EU and the more detailed learning outcomes described by EU in 'A working document on the development of a common education and training framework to fulfill the requirements under the Directive' (http:/​/​ec.europa.eu/​environment/​chemicals/​lab_animals/​pdf/​Endorsed_E-T.pdf).


Having completed the course it is expected that the student has the following:

Knowledge
The student knows 
- that animal experimentation is complicated and requires current training to secure the well-being of the animals and the scientific outcome
- the biological basis of laboratory animal breeding and maintenance, housing and management  including basic genetics and reproduction, health monitoring, housing and handling (pre-, intra and post-procedural).
- the legal basis for animal experimentation
- the scientific methods applied within animal experimentation including blood sampling, injections, principles for drug-development and testing, anesthesia and analgesia and evaluation of pain -and stress related behaviour in laboratory animals
- the basic biology of laboratory animals including behavioural and physiological needs.
- basic knowledge relating to design and evaluation of studies using live animals

Skills
The student is able to
- do self training on handling and procedures in the most common laboratory animals
- explain the basic principles on how to use animals for research
- apply principles of procedures on their future experiments
- reflect over the ethical basis for the use of animals for research

Competencies
The student is able to 
- perform basic handling of common rodents when used for research
- perform basic animal experiments
- achieve a personal license to design and perform animal experimentation within the European Union according to the EU Directive 2010/63 /EU Article 23.2 and the Danish executive order 88 of 30/01/2013 §56.

Hau, J. & Schapiro SJ: Handbook of Laboratory Animal Science, 3nd ed., Vol. 1, CRC Press, Roca Raton, 2011.

Additional review papers.

Animal experimentation legislation.

Exercise manual for Laboratory Animal Science (will be placed on Absalon).
Lectures and on-line material on Absalon

Basic knowledge in physiology, anatomy and pharmacology.
The course is structured into a number of teaching modules including lectures, group and case work, and plenum discussion with the teacher. The student is expected to be prepared for each module by reading in the curriculum and watching various electronic materials as supplied on Absalon.
This course is an intensive course, and it should not be combined with other study activities.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Colloquia
  • 36
  • Exam
  • 2
  • Lectures
  • 20
  • Practical exercises
  • 16
  • Preparation
  • 112
  • Theory exercises
  • 20
  • Total
  • 206
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written examination, 2 hours under invigilation
Written exam at Peter Bangs Vej with multiple choice questions, short questions and short essay questions.
Exam registration requirements

80 % attendance to practical exercises. Demonstration of performance for an instructor during the exercises.

Aid
Without aids
Marking scale
passed/not passed
Censorship form
No external censorship
More than one internal examiner
Exam period

Eksamination week, block 2

Criteria for exam assesment

To pass the exam the student shall able to:

  • Account for well-being in laboratory animals
  • Reproduce the statutory rules and provisions on laboratory animals and studies
  • Account for the comparative biology of frequently used laboratory animal species
  • Describe ethics in animal studies
  • Explain animal models and study design
  • Account for gene-modified laboratory animals as models
  • Describe the importance of environmental factors for homeostasis and study results
  • Account for the handling and administration of drugs and for blood sampling
  • Account for working environment in the animal stables - allergies and zoonoses
  • Describe diseases and health control in laboratory animals
  • Describe the genetics and standardization of laboratory animals
  • Account for principles for breeding of laboratory animals
  • Explain anaesthesia, analgesia and euthanasia
  • Account for the principles of experimental surgery
  • Describe pharmaceutical development and GLP
  • Account for the planning, execution and publication of experimental animal studies
  • Account for the alternatives to animal studies
  • Explain experimental and humane endpoints