BSRC Alexander Fleming's Animal House

International Course on Laboratory Animal Science IV, BSRC Al. Fleming, Athens, Greece. 19-30/9, 2011.A two-week intensive course on laboratory animal science will be organized at the B.S.R.C Alexander Fleming–Vari, Greece in September 2011. The objective of this course is to present basic facts and principles that are essential for the humane use and care of animals and for the quality of research. The contents of the course are in line with recommendations of the Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations (FELASA) regarding the training of the young scientists whose research involves the use of vertebrate animals. The practical session will be hosted at the Experimental – Research  Center  ELPEN  Pharmaceuticals. Download brochure for course 2011.

Registration form course 2011

Lecturers list course 2011

BSRC Alexander Fleming, with a longstanding reputation of excellence across Europe and a wealth of experience in the field of animal sciences, organizes in a yearly basis since  the year 2007, the International two-week Course on Laboratory Animal Science, the first such course to be held in Greece.

This prestigious event is addressed to professionals from fields of Biomedical Science. Past participants include biologists, veterinarians, medical practitioners and pharmacologists from all across Europe, Asia and Africa.

This is a revolutionary course within the scientific community as it awakes a new wave of consciousness regarding animal welfare and quality research. The vision is to train a new breed of scientists with acute awareness of what humane research actually means. It breaks with tradition in the fact that it trains participants not only in the passive acquisition of knowledge, but in the active process of critical thinking. The fundamental principle the course aims to promote is that the experimental outcome of research strongly depends on the humane treatment of the laboratory animals.

Upon the completion each participant is able to understand and perform humane use and care of laboratory animals, and clearly comprehend the vital principles for quality research. Successful participants are awarded a certificate, now a requirement according to the revised European Directive, which demonstrates competence in working with laboratory animals for research purposes.

This course has been successfully run in many European countries over the past two decades and has a long-standing reputation for excellence and quality. The basic contents of the course are in line with the recommendations of the Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations (FELASA) category C requirements, regarding the training of scientists whose research involves the use of vertebrate animals ('Article 9').

The course includes the obligatory theoretical and practical modules provided below, and is concluded upon successful completion of written and oral examination, testing both the theoretical and practical aspects of the course.

Theoretical part subjects:

•    Biology and husbandry of laboratory animals
•    Microbiology
•    Health hazards and safe practices in the animal house
•    Design and conduct of animal experiments
•    Experimental Data Statistical analysis
•    Ethical aspects and legislation
•    Cost‐Benefit analysis
•    Alternatives to animal use
•    Euthanasia - humane methods
•    Anaesthesia analgesia and experimental procedures
•    Analysis of scientific literature
•    Nutrition
•    Genetic standardization
•    The principles of transgenic/ knockout animals
•    ENU mutagenesis
•    Cloning-embryonic stem cells
•    Cryo-preservation
•    FELASA health screening-recommendations
•    infectious and non infectious diseases of rats and mice
•    Breeding laboratory animals
•    Guidelines for safe transportation of laboratory animals
•    Phenotype relative to environment
•    Zoonoses

Practical part subjects:

•    demonstration of animal handling and experimental techniques used in animal research (anaesthesia, necropsy)
•    analysis of research articles; team exploration of a scientific text to establish particular strengths and weaknesses
•    research protocol creation and presentation to an in-house ethics committee

Short list of collaborating lecturers:

•    Paul Flecknell Prof., Director Comparative Biology Centre, The Medical School, University of Newcastle
Courses 2009 , 2010
•    Baumans Vera, Dr. DVM, PhD, DipECLAM, Laboratory Animal Science Specialist. Professor, Dpt of Animals in Science & Society, Div Laboratory Animal Science, Ultrecht University, Holland
Courses 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
•    Kathleen Pritchett-Corning Dr., DVM, DACLAM, MRCVS. Director, European Scientific Services Charles River Laboratories, UK
Course 2009
•    Cory Brayton Prof., DVM, Diplomate, ACLAM, Diplomate ACVP. Associate Professor of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology.Director, Phenotyping Core, Johns Hopkins University, MD, USA
Courses 2009, 2010
•    Michael Festing, Ph.D., D.Sc., C.Stat., member of UK's Animal Procedures Committee, trustee of the Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments (FRAME)
Course 2011
•    Wallace James Dr., PhD. Editor, Science Associates, ALN Magazine, UK
Course 2009

 Dedicated Site and newsgroup:

To support the diffusion of knowledge across past participants, lecturers of the LAS course and selected scientists, a dedicated Site and newsgroup have been created.

The site where the latest details on upcoming course (registration, program), pre-teaching material and videos of lectures of past courses (for selected registered members only) can be found at www.las-course.eu

The newsgroup is accessible at https://groups.google.com/group/las-course . Currently the newsgroup services more than 80 members.