82720 - SCIENZA DELL'ANIMALE DA LABORATORIO E MODELLI ANIMALI PER LA MEDICINA TRASLAZIONALE

Academic Year 2021/2022

  • Docente: Monica Forni
  • Credits: 8
  • SSD: VET/02
  • Language: Italian
  • Moduli: Monica Forni (Modulo 1) Luciana Giardino (Modulo 2) Simona Valentini (Modulo 3)
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures (Modulo 1) Traditional lectures (Modulo 2) Traditional lectures (Modulo 3)
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Single cycle degree programme (LMCU) in Veterinary Medicine (cod. 8617)

Course contents

The course will focus on the use of animals in biomedical research. Based upon FELASA Program it should provide an introduction to the major areas of laboratory animal science and in this way contribute both to the humane use and care of animals and to the quality of experimental results.

The student know the 3Rs approach with a specific focus on animal rights and welfare in the frame of European and national laws. The student is able to do a risk-benefits assessment and to standardize variables. The student know the principal biosafety aspects related to laboratory animal facilities as well as the basic rules of management, animal restrain and housing. The student know the basic rules for the assessment and characterization of animal models in translational medicine.

The student will achieve the guidelines for a proper evaluation of the surgical patient, with particular attention to mouse and rat. The student will be able to: a) assess the state of health of the patient in the pre-operative period, b) organize the surgical field and relative instrumentations, c) plan the most appropriate surgical approach and the pharmacological containment/analgesic protocol, d) supervise the patient in the post-operative period and recognize the pain status.

Moreover the student is able to solve the proposed problems through the exposition to real animals experiments from scientific literature, utilize complementary resources available on the web in particular on alternative methods, communicate with the other students and with the society her/his own ideas about animal experiments.

Course content:

Module 1 (prof Forni)

Basic principle of Laboratory Animal Science

Basic principle of standardization in the animal experiments

Basic biology of species utilized in animal experiments and evaluation of scientific literature

Module 2 (Prof Giardino)

Biosafety protocols in animal facilities

Management of animal facilities and experimental activities

Animal models of neurological and metabolic diseases (transgenic and not transgenic): establishment, assessment, translational relevance

Module 3 (Prof. Valentini)

Basic surgical principles in Laboratory Animal Science: preoperative period

Basic surgical principles in Laboratory Animal Science: intra-operative period

Laboratory Animals generally employed in scientific research (discussion of scientific literature)

The final grade will be composed of:

30% on the active participation during lecture and laboratory activities;

50% on the presentation and discussion of a scientific paper

20% practical ability

Readings/Bibliography

L. F. van Zutphen, V. Baumans, A. C. Beynen. Principles of Laboratory Animal Science, Revised Edition Edited By, Utrecht University, Department of Veterinary Science, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Assessment methods

The final grade will be composed of:

30% on the active participation during lecture and laboratory activities;

50% on the presentation and discussion of a scientific paper

20% practical ability

Office hours

See the website of Monica Forni

See the website of Luciana Giardino

See the website of Simona Valentini