Laboratory Animal Science 1

3 ECTS credits
78 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 1022144ANR for all students in the 1st semester at a (A) Bachelor - preliminary level.

Semester

1st semester

Enrollment based on exam contract

Impossible

Grading method

Grading (scale from 0 to 20)

Can retake in second session

Yes

Taught in

English

Faculty

Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy

Department

Basis (bio-) medische wetensch

Educational team

Sophie Hernot (course titular)

Activities and contact hours

26 contact hours Lecture

Course Content

Laboratory Animal Science is a multidisciplinary field that covers different aspects encountered when working with laboratory animals. It focuses on the welfare and care of animals used in research, taking into account both animal- as well as experiment-related factors. Knowledge within the field of laboratory animal science will contribute to the reliability and reproducibility of animal experiments and learn the students how to handle laboratory animals in a responsible and respectful manner.

According to the Belgian legislation (RD of May 29th 2013) there are 4 levels of education that permit you to work with laboratory animals:

1) Elementary care of laboratory animals – total of 4 hrs of education in laboratory animal science

2) Specialised care of laboratory animals – total of 25 hrs of education in laboratory animal science

3) Active participants in animal experimentation – total of 40 hrs of education in laboratory animal science

4) Responsible for directing animal experiments (proefleider) - total of 80 hrs of education in laboratory animal science

Laboratory animal science is subdivided into 3 courses, that correspond to the 4 categories within the Belgian legislation:

Laboratory Animal Science 1: total of 25 hrs of education, corresponding to category 2 in the Belgian legislation - Specialised care of laboratory animals
Laboratory Animal Science 2: total of 40 hrs of education, corresponding to category 3 in the Belgian legislation - Active participants in animal experimentation
Laboratory Animal Science 3: total of 80 hrs of education, corresponding to category 4 in the Belgian legislation - Responsible for directing animal experiments

This series of courses is recognised by the overseeing government, Leefmilieu Brussels.

Within Laboratory Animal Science 1, students will get acquainted with the following subjects:

History of the use of animals in research
Introduction to National and European legislation concerning animal experiments
Biology, physiology and ethology of different laboratory animal species (rodent, rabbit, pig, zebrafish, xenopus, sheep, primates)
Basic principles of diseases
Care, nutrition, surveillance and housing of laboratory animals
Environmental enrichment
Transport of laboratory animals
Manipulating and restraining small animals and performing non-surgical techniques
Basic principles of genetics and breeding
Recognition and relief of decreased welfare and pain
Humane endpoints and euthanasia
Hygiene and microbiological standardisation
Occupational health and safety
Practically:
- Manipulating and restraining small animals

Additional info

This course is recognised by the overseeing government, Leefmilieu Brussels. Passing the exam (min. 10/20) gives you permission to work with laboratory animals as defined by art. 32§5 of the RD May 29th 2013, category 2 – specialised care of laboratory animals.

Learning Outcomes

Algemene competenties

In art. 32§5 of the RD May 29th 2013 concerning the protection of animals used in experiments the Department of Animal Welfare stipulated the legal requirements that must be met to be allowed to work with laboratory animals. After following the course Laboratory Animal Science 1, students must:

Have knowledge of subject-specific terms
Be able to use definitions as described in the RD May 29th 2013 on specific examples
Have knowledge of the legal requirements defining housing, handling and care of laboratory animals and be able to evaluate these in practical examples
Have knowledge and a thorough understanding of the history of laboratory animal science
Have species-specific knowledge of the biology, physiology, ethology and feeding behavior of different animal species and relate this knowledge to housing and care of specific species
Have a theoretical and practical knowledge of hygiene and biosafety aspects
Have knowledge of waste-management
Be able to evaluate the health and welfare of laboratory animals and recognize pain
Know the first steps that need to be taken to improve animal welfare and health
Know the legal and humane techniques for euthanasia and evaluate their use within a research context
Be able to handle mice

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Written Exam determines 90% of the final mark.
PRAC Lab Work determines 10% of the final mark.

Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

Written exam with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 90% of the final mark.

Note: Written exam: combination of open questions and multiple choice

Within the PRAC Lab Work category, the following assignments need to be completed:

Handling of animals with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 10% of the final mark.

Note: Handling of animals: excercise with dummy mouse and rat

Additional info regarding evaluation

Examination will be at the end of the course (January exams) by means of a written exam (90% of the total score). The exam will consist of a combination of open questions and multiple choice questions (for the multiple choice question, higher pass mark will be applied). Retake of the written exam is possible in the second examination period.

During the course, a practical session regarding the handling of animals will be organized, with mandatory attendance (10% of the total score). Absence at the practical session will result in a 0 for this part. This part of the exam cannot be retaken in the second examination period. The partial result will be transferred to the second examination period.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark

The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context