Course content

FELASA = Federation of Laboratory Animal Science Associations. We follow their minimum recommendations for education and training for researchers (FELASA C researcher).
This means that you most likely can travel with your Diploma (FELASA C) to other European countries and work with Laboratory animals.
But other countries might ask for additional training and have more stringent rules.

The course will focus on the following topics: Legislation, Ethics and views in society; the course of events in animal experiments; biology of lab animals; the choice of species; genetical and environmental factors influencing animal experiments; health hazards; principles concerning the handling of animals, anesthesia, analgesia and humane killing of lab animals; evaluation and quality control of animal experiments; reporting; alternatives to animals experiments; literature search.

The course is divided into two sections; a general section (3 days) and a selectable section (2 days) where the students can choose between traditional laboratory animals and fish/aquatic organisms. Course participants should select their specialization on the basis of the animals they will work with after the course.
Traditional animals specialization: laboratory animals biology, health monitoring, anesthesia and euthanasia, ethology, genetics, transgenic animal models, handling techniques.
Fish specialization: Legislation concerning fish, experimental conditions, stress, biorythms and acclimatization, pain and suffering, anesthesia, handling, surgical procedures and euthanasia, aggression and hierarchy formation, health monitoring and microbiological qualities, transgene fish.

Learning outcome

After completing the course, the student:
- shall know the principles behind modern theory on animal experiments and welfare
- knows the legislature regulating the use of lab animals in Norway
- knows the potential health hazards related to animal experiments, and how to minimize these hazards
- understands the significance of the internal and external factors influencing a lab animal and which thereby may influence the outcome of the experiment
- knows roughly how to monitor the health of lab animals
- understands the most important principles for choosing methods for handling and treating lab animals; understand the principles behind anesthesia, analgesia and humane killing of lab animals
- understands the general principles for planning animal experiments, including quality control and know of the potential alternatives and supplements to animal experiments which exist
- is able to evaluate a published article on animal experiments with emphasis on how the animals are described and used and know of and be able to use guidelines for good reporting of animal experiments
- has insight into the most important factors which decide the running of a laboratory animal facility and be able to do a simple evaluation of a facility
- has an attitude towards the lab animals which reflect "the three R's" with focus on animal protection and animal welfare (Replace, Reduce, Refine).

Learning methods and activities

Lectures, study groups and individual assignments. The course consists of 35 hours of lectures (given in week 47), 24 hours of self-tuition (group work and individual home assignments) and 21 hours of practical training. The home assignment must be submitted and passed before written exam can take place.

Students who have follewed the theoretical lectures, passed the home assignement and passed the written exam will receive a FELASA dimploma. This diploma is valid together with a practiacal training document.

The requirements are set by the Department of Agriculture
(http://oslovet.veths.no/Oppl/nye.html#KatC).
You must arrange the 3 days of practical training yourself. This is usually done in your own research group. The training must be supervised by a person with FELASA C or B competence. Then the practical training documentation must be signed and approved by the local competent person at your laboratory animal facility.

Compulsory assignments

• Lectures

Recommended previous knowledge

Biomedical education on university or college level, courses in statistics, knowledge of literature search on the internet and in the library.

Required previous knowledge

A 3-year education on university or college level is a prerequisite in order for the participant to use the title "FELASA category C, Researcher" when the compulsory activities (see the below) have been carried out.
Enrolment in a PhD programme, master programme or at "forskerlinjen" in medicine at NTNU. PhD- and "forskerlinje"-students at the Medical faculties at UiT, UiB and UiO are given access according to a mutual agreement between these universities. Others interested in this course are referred to the course MDV6003; Laboratory Animal Science for Researchers.

Course materials

The compendium "Laboratory Animal Science" byHem et al. Students choosing the fish specialization will in addition need "Compendium in Laboratory Animal Science for Fish Researchers" by Brattelid og Smith.

Credit reductions