Principles in Animal Experimentation
Upon completion:
Knowledge
- The student has specialized knowledge on various aspects of animal experimentation:
- The history of animal experimentation
- The national and international legislation on animal experimentation
- The ethics in animal experimentation
- The alternatives to animal experimentation
- The basic biology care of the specific species of laboratory animals (fish, decapods)
- Recognition of pain, suffering and distress in the specific species of laboratory animals
- Health hazards and safe practices in the care of the specific species of laboratory animals
- The performance of the main routine invasive experimental procedures, with or without anesthesia or analgesia
- The use of appropriate experimental design in different animal studies
Skills
The student:
- Can collect and critically analyze various sources of information within the field of animal experimentation and use them to develop their own research
- Can analyze existing theories and methods and use them to structure scientific hypotheses
- Can plan and carry out research studies, using animals, under limited supervision, following the ethical and legal rules
General competence
The student:
- Can apply knowledge and practical skills in animal research
- Can communicate research results to other scientists as well as the general public, using appropriate language and terminology
Can contribute to new thinking and innovation process in the field of animal experimentation
The course will be comprised of different modules, according to the framework developed by the European commission, which can be found here: ec.europa.eu/environment/chemicals/lab_animals/pdf/Endorsed_E-T.pdf
Lectures: 35 hours Practical training: 8 hours
Obligatory work: Critical review of a published study, in which animals were used, using the ARRIVE guidelines
THEORETICAL MODULES:
1) General modules
Module 1: National & International legislation on the use of animals in research,
Module 2: Ethics, animal welfare and the 3Rs (Level 1 + 2),
Module 3: Humane methods of killing experimental animals
Module 4: Design of procedures and projects (Level 1 + 2).
2) Species-specific modules
Module 5: Basic biology of aquatic species,
Module 6: Animal care and health management of aquatic species,
Module 7: Recognition of pain, suffering and distress in laboratory animals -emphasis on aquatic species,
Module 8: Minimally invasive procedures in aquatic species, with or without use of anaesthesia.
Module 9 (practical): Basic biology of fish - minimally invasive procedures with and without anaesthesia
Compound evaluation, grading scale Passed / Not passed
- Compulsory participation, grading scale Passed / Not Passed.
- Obligatory assignment - assessment of a published study, using criteria discussed in the course. Grading scale Passed / Not Passed.
- Obligatory assignment - submission of a report from the practical module. Grading scale Passed / Not Passed.
- Final exam – individual multiple choice tests for each theoretical module. Each will represent an equal percentage of the final grade. Grading scale Passed / Not passed.