Laboratory Animal Science
Code: 102657Credits: 6
| Degree programme | Type | Course |
|---|---|---|
| Veterinary Medicine | OP | 5 |
Contact lecturer
- Name :
- Maite Martin Ibañez
- Email :
- maite.martin@uab.cat
Teaching staff
- Maria Constenla Matalobos
- Pere Guzman Llompart
- Francesc Padros Bover
- Anna Martínez i Daunis
- Genís Martínez Cuentra
- Joan Antoni Férnandez Blanco
- Sergio Berdun Marin
Teaching staff (external to UAB)
- Tania.Alcaniz@autonoma.cat
Group languages
You can consult this information at the end of the document.
Prerequisites
Have completed at least the first 3 courses
Objectives
The main objective of this subject is to give the Veterinary student the knowledge and skills to exercise as Designated Veterinarian and person responsible in situ of animal welfare at facilities for the breeding or use of animals of experimentation in accordance with Royal Decree 53/2013. In addition, this subject will give a broad vision of the characteristics of animals most frequently used in experimentation and of the factors to be taken into account in their breeding obtaining maintenance as in their use in experimental procedures.
Once the subject has been completed, the student will be able to serve as Designated Veterinanrian and person responsible in situ for animal welfare in breeding centers or users of experimental animals or to direct their professional career either to field of Management of an animal facility (breeding and maintenance) or to carry out experimental tasks in basic research and in the pharmaceutical industry (experimental models, refinement). An issue that will be dealt with throughout the subject is the importance of the principle of the three R (replacement, reduction and refinement) in the use of animals for experimentation, which is ethically essential as required to comply with current legislation as well as to obtain valid results in research.
Due to the practical nature of the subject, an important part of the classroom hours will be devoted to practices with laboratory animals, where handling and most frequently administration routes in each of the species will be practiced.
The Department of Natural Environment and Biodiversity has recognized the subject for the accreditation of the functions of Designated Veterinarian and as adviser in situ of animal welfare. Likewise, the Department of Natural Environment and Biodiversity recognizes the educational content of this subject for the functions of taking care of animals, euthanasia and for carrying out procedures in any species of veterinary interest and rodents, when they are accompanied by the corresponding certificate of work under supervision. In any case, for the recognition of all these functions, it is necessary to apply for the training to the corresponding Competent Authority.
In addition, the subject has been accredited by the Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations (FELASA). To be able to demonstrate this accreditation with European recognition, you must request a specific certificate through the Academic Management of the Faculty and pay the corresponding fees.
Learning outcomes
- Analyse, synthesise and resolve problems and make decisions.
- Recognise personal limitations and know when to ask for professional advice and help.
- Draft and present satisfactory professional reports, always maintaining the required confidentiality.
- Describe the biological characteristics of the different species that are most frequently used in experimentation.
- Define the bases of the genetic characterisation of the main mouse and rat traps.
- Morphologically characterise genetically modified mice.
- Enumerate techniques for cloning experimental animals.
- Identify the methodologies for obtaining transgenic animals.
- Distinguish the factors that influence the welfare of laboratory animals, both during maintenance and during use in experimental procedures.
- Explain the molecular and physiological bases of the pathologies of greatest interest in experimental animals.
- Use the most adequate anaesthetics and analgesics depending on the species of experimental animal.
- Choose administration methods depending on the experimental procedure.
- Identify the sources of drugs and biopharmaceuticals.
- Describe applicable legislation on the utilisation of laboratory animals.
- Identify the functions of the Ethical Committee in animal experimentation.
- Explain applicable legislation on safety in the laboratory.
- Use refinement in experimental surgery performed in a conventional laboratory.
- Adequately manipulate laboratory animals during experimental procedures.
- Take all kinds of samples from the different species that are used in experimentation.
- Distinguish the scales of animal welfare to evaluate pain.
- Use suitable euthanasia methods in the different species that are most used in experimentation into animal welfare, animal health and public health.
Contents
THEORY PROGRAM
1. Introduction to Laboratory Animal Science and legislation. Need for the use of laboratory animals and general data referring to their use (species, type of procedures). Legislation in force on the use of laboratory animals in the European Union, in Spain and in the autonomous community of Catalonia. Characteristics of personnel involved in the maintenance and use of laboratory animals.
2. Ethics, well-being and 3Rs. Alternatives to the use of laboratory animals: in vitro methods and cell cultures. Search methods for alternatives in web pages. Election of the alternative method to use.
3. Biology of the most widely used species in research. Biological characteristics of the different species used most frequently used in experimentation and the implications when choosing the appropriate experimental model. Characteristics of mammalian species: mouse, rat, rabbit, pig. Characteristics of non-mammal species: birds and aquatic species.
4. Nomenclature and genetic characterization of laboratory animals. Main strains of mouse and rat. Conventional and genetically modified animals. Nomenclature. Basis of genetic characterization and its importance in research. Genetic monitoring.
5. Microbiological definition of experimental animals and their impact on experimentation.
6. Care and handling of experimental animals: Installations. Control of environmental variables. Concept of barrier: main elements. Levels of containment and biosecurity. Environmental enrichment. Nutrition of animals. Identification of animals. Transportation of experimental animals.
7. Microbiological characterization and health control in experimental animals. Verification of the health status of the laboratory animal: health control. Most common diseases in laboratory animals.
8. Anesthesia, analgesia, surgery and post-surgical care. Anesthetics and analgesics used depending on the species: doses, routes of administration and choice based on the experimental procedure. Control and handling of drugs. Monitoring of variables during surgery. Importance of post-surgical analgesia: assessment of the condition of the animal after surgery.
9. Animal welfare and factors that influence the experimentation. Well-being of the laboratory animal during its maintenance as well as its use in experimental procedures: scales of animal welfare assessment. Verification of the health status of the laboratory animal: protocols for the supervision of clinical signs and corrective measures. Endpoint criteria and methods of euthanasia in different species. Function of the veterinarian in the supervision of animal welfare.
10. Health and Safety at work with laboratory animals. Risks involved in the field of housing and control programs. Legislation in force. Preventive measures. Disposal of waste.
11. Committee of ethics of animal experimentation. Ethical evaluation of procedures. Damage / benefit analysis. Functions of the designated veterinarian, responsible for animal welfare in situ. Members of the Committee for Ethics in Animal Experimentation (CEEA) and functions. Points to consider in the evaluation of the procedures. Relationship with the Committee for Ethics in Animal and Human Experiments (CEEAH).
12. Principles of good communication of the role of veterinarian in an installation of animals for experimentation. Strategies for good communication and how good communication favors animal welfare. Search for information in the field of laboratory animal sciences.
PROGRAM OF SEMINARS
1. Nomenclature of experimental animals.
2. Experimental models.
3. Outbreak in an installation for rodents.
4. Anesthesia and analgesia in experimental procedures.
5. Ethical evaluation of procedures, severity, retrospective assessment.
PROGRAM OF PRACTICES
1. Legislation (classroom practice).
2. Practices with a mouse. Handling, immobilisation, identification, administration and sampling. Euthanasia
3. Practices with rat. Handling, immobilisation, identification, administration and sampling.
4. Practices with fish. Handling, immobilisation, identification, administration and sampling. Anesthesia in fish
5. Anesthesia and analgesia in rodents. Refinement in experimental surgery carried out in a conventional laboratory. Control of environmental conditions.
6. Evaluation of pain in rodents (classroom practice).
Learning activities and methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 29 | 1.16 | 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21 |
| Classroom session in small group | 7.5 | 0.3 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21 |
| Home work and self study | 89 | 3.56 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 |
| Practical session in big group | 3.5 | 0.14 | 1, 11, 12, 15, 20 |
| individual session with tutor | 8 | 0.32 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 |
| Laboratory practical sessions | 11 | 0.44 | 1, 2, 9, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 |
There will be 29 theoretical sessions with practical examples. In these sessions the theoretical concepts that will be applied later in practical case studies.
There will be 2 classroom practical sessions and 4 laboratory practical sessions.
There will be 5 seminars where the topics of the subject will be discussed in a practical way. In some of this seminars students will present their work.
For this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted exclusively for support tasks, such as literature and information searches, text proofreading, or translations. Students must clearly identify any parts generated using these technologies, specify the tools employed, and include a critical reflection on how these tools have influenced both the process and the final outcome of the activity.
Failure to disclose the use of AI in this assessed activity will be considered a breach of academic integrity and may result in a partial or total penalty to the activity’s grade, or more severe sanctions in serious cases.
Assessment
Continuous assessment activities
| Title | Weight | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case studies | 10% each, total 40% | 0 | 0 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 |
| Practical sessions | 20% | 0 | 0 | 1, 2, 9, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 |
| Exam | 40% | 2 | 0.08 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 |
This subject does not provide for the single assessment system.
The evaluation will be carried out by means of the evaluation of the skills at the practical sessions, the case estudies and an examination at the end of the subject.
The minimum classroom attendance necessary to pass the subject is 20 theoretical classes and 4 of the 5 seminars.
The attendance to the practical sessions is obligatory and the performance of the different procedures as well as the attitude will be evaluated. Weight of the practical sessions in the final mark 20%. A postive mark in the assesment of the practical skills in an obligatory condition for passing the course.
There will be 4 practical case studies. The cases will be presented and discussed in a group. Rating: each case 10%. The presentation and the discussion will serve to modulate the mark obtained in the written case. Each case will only count for the mean of the evaluation if you get a minimum score of 5.
Exam: It will consist of a MCQ and short test questions to assess the basic knowledge of the subject. The exam will count 40% of the final mark. Only a score of 4 or more can be compensated for the final mark.
The final grade is obtained by adding the weighted notes of each case and the exam, and the approved one is placed on the 5th.
The subject will appear as non-evaluable if less than 10 classes have been attended and less than 25% of the evaluable cases and practical sessions have been completed.
Reseating:
1. A new evaluation of the practical skills that have not been achived.
2. Each case in which the mark obtained has been less than 5 must be redone.
3. The exam if a mark of less than 5 grade and not compensated.
Any irregularity committed during an assessment activity (academic fraud, plagiarism, or improper use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), unless such use is expressly authorized in the course guide) that may lead to a significant alteration of the grade will result in that assessment activity being awarded a mark of 0.
If the course guide stipulates that obtaining a minimum grade in that assessment activity is an essential requirement for passing the course, or if multiple irregularities occur in the assessment activities of the same course, the final grade for the course will be 0.
In addition, disciplinary proceedings may be initiated against any student who engages in any of these irregularities.
Bibliography
Zuñiga et al. 2008 Ciencia y Tecnología del Animal de Laboratorio. SECAL/UAH.
Laboratory Animals http://lan.sagepub.com/
Publications of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science http://www.aalas.org/publications/
Lab Animal Magazine http://www.labanimal.com/laban/index.html
Nacional Centre for 3 Rs http://www.nc3rs.org.uk/category.asp?catID=3
Software
No special requeriments
Course groups and languages
The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE
| Type of teaching | Group | Language | Semester | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TE) Theory | 1 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |
| (PAUL) Classroom practices | 1 | Spanish | second semester | morning-mixed |
| (SEM) Seminars | 1 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |
| (PAV) Pràctiques veterinàries amb animals vius i de sala de necròpsies | 1 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |
| (PAV) Pràctiques veterinàries amb animals vius i de sala de necròpsies | 2 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |
| (PAV) Pràctiques veterinàries amb animals vius i de sala de necròpsies | 3 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |