3 ECTS credits
78 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 4022180DNR for all students in the 2nd semester at a (D) Master - preliminary level.

Semester
2nd 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 3 moet men ingeschreven of geslaagd zijn voor Laboratory Animal Science 1 EN voor Laboratory Animal Science 2.
Taught in
English
Faculty
Faculteit Geneeskunde en Farmacie
Department
Basis (bio-) medische wetensch
Educational team
Karine Breckpot
Karine Hellemans
Nico Buls
Karlijn Debusschere (course titular)
Activities and contact hours
31 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 3, students will get acquainted with the following subjects:

  • Practical application of European and Belgian legislation concerning all aspects of animal experimentation
  • Rodent health management and monitoring and the influence on research
  • Research project-related topics
    • Ethical committee
    • Design of animal experiments
    • Statistical analysis
  • Animal facility design and managment
  • Immunology and applications within the field of (bio-)medical research
  • Basic principles of xenotransplantation
  • Medical imaging of laboratory animals, including radioprotection
  • Good Laboratory Practices
  • Behavioral assessment techniques in laboratory Rodents
  • Pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
  • Genetic standardization and transgenesis
  • Animal models in research

Practical:

  • Guided tour imaging facility (if possible)
Course material
Practical course material (Required) : Proefdierkunde 3, Nota's opgesteld door de titularis, aangevuld met wetenschappelijke artikels of brochures worden bij de aanvang van iedere les uitgedeeld.
Handbook (Recommended) : Clinical Laboratory Animal Medicine, An Introduction, Colby - Nowland - Kennedy, 5de, Wiley-Blackwel, 9781119489566, 2019
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 4 – Responsible for directing animal experiments (proefleider). 

To subscribe for this course, you must simultaneously subscribe for Laboratory animal science I and II. Or have passed Laboratory animal science I and II or any equivalent courses.  

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 3, students must:

  • Be able to find definitions and legislation related to animal experimentation and use the European and Belgian legislation to solve cases
  • Have a thorough knowledge of immunology and applications in biomedical research
  • Understand the principles behind animal facility design and animal facility management and find flaws in facility designs
  • Understand the basic principles of xenotransplantation and possible problems that come with it
  • Have knowledge of different (pre-clinical) medical imaging devices and techniques and apply this knowledge in experimental designs and when evaluating experiments
  • Have a good understanding of radioprotection and the practical implications
  • Have a thorough knowledge of the working mechanisms and tasks of an ethical committee and be able to apply this knowledge in a practical setting
  • Be able to apply for an animal experiment
  • Be able to study the literature, prepare and critically analyze research protocols
  • Be able to understand and work out an experimental design with statistical analysis
  • Understand the principle and work flows of Good Laboratory Practices (GLP)
  • Have a theoretical knowledge of pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
  • Know and understand techniques for behavioral assessment of laboratory animals
  • Have a basic understanding on how to choose the correct animal model
  • Have good knowledge and be able to apply knowledge in genetic standardization and transgenesis

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Written Exam determines 90% of the final mark.
SELF Teamwork 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: open questions (cases) and multiple choice

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

  • EC application with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 10% of the final mark.

    Note: Group assignment with peer-feedback: write an ethical application based on published research

Additional info regarding evaluation

Examination will be at the end of the course (June exams) by means of a written exam (90% of the total score). Retake of the written exam is possible in the second examination period.

Students will submit a group assignment, with peer-feedback, where they have to write an ethical application based on the methodology of an experiment in a paper. This will be evaluated and included into the endpoint (10%). The scoring of the peer-feedback will result in an individual adjustment factor to individualize the group-score by multiplying the individual adjustment factor with the group score. The teacher always has the right to change these adjustment factors if there is reason to believe the adjustment factor is not to be trusted.

If a student has to retake the exam, the partial result of the group assignment will be transferred to the second examination period when the student has received 10/20 or higher for this part. Otherwise, an alternative assignment will be given for the group assignment.

If Laboratory animal science (I), II and III are taken up simultaneously, they can only receive a credit for Laboratory animal science III if they pass laboratory animal science I and II or have equivalent credits for Laboratory Animal Sciences I and II.

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