3 ECTS credits
78 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 4022179DNR for all students in the 1st semester at a (D) Master - 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
Enrollment Requirements
Alvorens men een inschrijving kan nemen voor Laboratory Animal Science 2 moet men ingeschreven of geslaagd zijn voor Laboratory Animal Science 1.
Taught in
English
Faculty
Faculteit Geneeskunde en Farmacie
Department
Basis (bio-) medische wetensch
Educational team
Karine Hellemans
Karlijn Debusschere (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) Elementory care of laboratory animals – minimum of 4 hrs of education in laboratory animal science

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

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

4) Responsible for directing animal experiments (proefleider) - minimum 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 course is recognised by the overseeing government, Leefmilieu Brussels.

Within Laboratory Animal Science 2, students will get acquainted with the following subjects:

  • Anatomy, physiology, breeds and strains of different laboratory animal species
    • Rodents
    • Rabbits
    • Pigs
    • Zebrafish
    • Xenopus
  • Methodology in animal experimentation
  • Alternative methods (’21-’22: both LAS2 and LAS3)
  • Basic principles of surgery and sterility
  • The use of anesthetics and analgesics in different laboratory animal species
  • Pain recognition and pain relief in laboratory animal species
  • Most important diseases of different laboratory animal species
  • Basic principles of ethology
  • Basic principles of laboratory animal ethics and the relevance in the current public debate on animal experimentation
  • Working principle of the ethical committee

 

Practical:

  • Suturing techniques
  • Surgical techniques
Course material
Handbook (Recommended) : Clinical Laboratory Animal Medicine, An Introduction, Colby - Nowland - Kennedy, 5de, Wiley-Blackwel, 9781119489566, 2019
Digital course material (Recommended) : Slides Teacher
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 3 – Active participants in animal experimentation. 

To subscribe for this course, you must simultaneously subscribe for Laboratory animal science I. Or have passed Laboratory animal science I or an equivalent course.  

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 2, students must:

  • Know the different strains and breeds of laboratory animals, as well as basic reproductive techniques
  • Have a thorough understanding of different classes of anesthetics and analgesics and understand their benefits and disadvantages in order to make an informed decision on the use of specific anesthetics and analgesics and combinations
  • Have a basic understanding of surgical techniques and sterility and be able to apply the knowledge in a practical setting
  • Have knowledge of the most prominent diseases within different laboratory animal species and how to recognize disease
  • Have an understanding of experimental set-up
  • Have basic knowledge of alternative methods
  • Know the basic principles of ethology and apply this knowledge within a practical setting
  • Know the basic principles of laboratory animal ethics and the relevance in the current public debate on animal experimentation
  • Have a basic knowledge of the working of the ethical committee
  • Be able to perform some basic suturing techniques

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Written Exam determines 85% of the final mark.
PRAC Lab Work determines 5% of the final mark.
SELF Paper 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 85% 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:

  • Practical session with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 5% of the final mark.

    Note: In this practical session, students learn surgical principles as well as the principles of sterility and some suturing techniques

Within the SELF Paper category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Case study with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 10% of the final mark.

    Note: In the case study, students have to discuss a case concerning a lab animal topic relevant to LAS2

Additional info regarding evaluation

Examination will be at the end of the course (January exams) by means of a written exam (85% of the total score). Retake of the written exam is possible in the second examination period.

During the course, 1 practical session will be organized, with mandatory attendance. Preparation, attendance and active participation during the practical session will be evaluated and included into the endpoint (5% of the total score). Absence on the practical session will result in a 0 for this part (5% of the total score). This part of the exam cannot be retaken in the second examination period. The partial result will be transferred to the second examination period.

Furthermore, students will submit a case-study at the end of the course, which will also be evaluated and included into the endpoint (10% of the total score). If a student has to retake the exam, the partial result of the case-study will be transferred to the second examination period when the student has received 10/20 or higher for this part. Otherwise, the case-study will have to be re-submitted. If a student that retakes the written exam and who received a 10/20 or higher for the case-study wishes to rewrite the case-study, an e-mail has to be send to the teacher, the latest the 1st of July.


If Laboratory animal science I and II are taken up simultaneously, they can only receive a credit for Laboratory animal science II if they pass laboratory animal science I

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

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Biomedical Sciences: Management and Business (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Biomedical Sciences: Clinical Biomedical Sciences (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Biology: Molecular and Cellular Life sciences
Master of Biomedical Research: Standaard traject