SVEK17001U Laboratory Animal Science Function ABD

Volume 2023/2024
Education

MSc Molecular Biomedicine – restricted elective

MSc Biotechnology – restricted elective. 

MSc of Pharmaceutical Sciences - restricted elective

KA i Farmaceutisk videnskab – Begrænset valgfri

KA i Farmaci - valgfri

MSc Programme in Medical Chemistry - elective

KA i Kvantitativ Biologi og Sygdomsmodellering (samarbejdsuddannelse forankret på DTU)

Students enrolled on natural and health science Master's degree programs

 

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, euthanasia, 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, Fisheries and Agriculture 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 more detailed learning outcomes described in the EU guidance paper 'A working document on the development of a common education and training framework to fulfill the requirements under the Directive' https:/​/​op.europa.eu/​en/​publication-detail/​-/​publication/​fca9ae7f-2554-11e9-8d04-01aa75ed71a1.

After completing the course the student is expected to:

Knowledge 

  • understand that animal experimentation is complicated and requires current training to secure the well-being of the animals and the scientific outcome 
  • explain 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)
  • explain the legal basis for animal experimentation 
  • explain and critically evaluate 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 
  • discuss the basic biology of laboratory animals including behavioural and physiological needs
  • explain and critically evaluate basic knowledge relating to design and evaluation of studies using live animals 
  • give examples of commonly applied animal models

 

Skills

  • organize self-training on handling and procedures in the most common laboratory animals 
  • discuss and evaluate the basic principles on how to use animals for research 
  • be able to plan an experiment in relation to experimental design, group sizes and reporting.
  • discuss and evaluate principles of procedures on their future experiments 
  • discuss, evaluate and argue about the ethical basis for the use of animals for research 
     

Competencies 

  • independently take responsibility to implement and further develop practical skills in handling of common rodents used for research 
  • independently take responsibility to implement and further develop practical skills in the performance of basic animal experiments 
  • achieve a personal license to independently plan, implement and take responsibility for the design and performance of animal experimentation within the European Union according to the EU Directive 2010/63/EU Article 23.2 and the Danish executive order No 2028 of 14/12/2020, §56

 

Hau, J. & Schapiro SJ: Handbook of Laboratory Animal Science, 4th ed., Taylor & Francis, Roca Raton, 2021.

Additional review papers.

Animal experimentation legislation.

Exercise manual for Laboratory Animal Science (will be made available by the course).
Lectures and on-line material on an online platform.

Full and satisfactory participation in practical exercises is mandatory. To be allowed for the written exam the student must perform according to the claims of the EU Guidance Paper ( https:/​/​op.europa.eu/​en/​publication-detail/​-/​publication/​fca9ae7f-2554-11e9-8d04-01aa75ed71a1 ). If this is not the case the student will be called for follow up exercises during the course period. If performance is still not acceptable the student will without entering the theoretical exam be graded 'not passed'.

Only MSc students can attend the course.
Basic knowledge in physiology, anatomy and pharmacology.
The theory is given as a number of online teaching modules including lectures, case work, and quizzes. Plenum discussions in an online webinar form with a teacher will be offered fourtimes during the block, and there will be a short welcome plenum. The student is expected to be reading in the curriculum and to prepare for the plenum sessions.

Practical exercises handling live animals with instructors are given as three mandatory sessions that the students need to sign in for. Performance will be evaluated during these exercises. The students are expected to be prepared by reading a manual and watching videos prior to the exercises sessions.

Evaluation model: Survey-based model.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Class Instruction
  • 20
  • Preparation
  • 88
  • Practical exercises
  • 16
  • E-Learning
  • 80
  • Exam
  • 2
  • Total
  • 206
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination, 15 minutes
Type of assessment details
Oral examination, 15 minutes in presence of two internal examiners (online examination).

A number of exam questions based on the entire curriculum are available when the course starts. On the day of the exam, two (2) out of these questions are drawn at random for the student to answer satisfactorily.

The student must be alone in the room and no kinds of notes, books etc. is allowed.
Exam registration requirements

Full and satisfactory participation at practical exercises. Demonstration of performance for an instructor during the exercises.

Aid
Without aids
Marking scale
passed/not passed
Censorship form
No external censorship
Two internal examiners.
Exam period

At the examination week at the end of the block.

Please find the exam schedule at "Kandidatuddannelsen i veterinærmedicin" https://sund.ku.dk/uddannelse/studieinformation/eksamensplaner/veterinaermedicin/

Re-exam

At the examination week at the end of the subsequent block

Criteria for exam assesment

To achieve the grade passed, the student shall (in an adequate level) be able to:

Knowledge:

  • understand that animal experimentation is complicated and requires current training to secure the well-being of the animals and the scientific outcome 
  • explain 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)
  • explain the legal basis for animal experimentation 
  • explain and critically evaluate 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 
  • discuss the basic biology of laboratory animals including behavioural and physiological needs
  • explain and critically evaluate basic knowledge relating to design and evaluation of studies using live animals
  • give examples of commonly applied animal models

 

Skills:

  • discuss and evaluate the basic principles on how to use animals for research 
  • discuss and evaluate principles of procedures on their future experiments 
  • discuss, evaluate and argue about the ethical basis for the use of animals for research
  • be able to plan an experiment in relation to experimental design, group sizes and reporting.
  • handle, do minor procedures and kill rodents for research at a level sufficient to fulfill learning outcomes 3.2.1. , 8.1. , 8.2.,  8.3. , 6.2.1. , and  6.2.2. of the EU Guidance Paper  https:/​/​op.europa.eu/​en/​publication-detail/​-/​publication/​fca9ae7f-2554-11e9-8d04-01aa75ed71a1