Laboratory Animal Science - EU Function ABD
Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences at University of Copenhagen
For this course, special rules apply regarding application and payment:
This course is free of charge for PhD students at Danish universities (except Copenhagen Business School). PhD students from NorDoc member faculties will be placed on the waiting list until enrollment deadline.After the enrollment deadline, available seats will be allocated to applicants on the waiting list.
Other applicants:
All other participants must apply for the course through the course organiser and must pay the course fee.
Please apply and pay directly on the course organiser’s homepage
Learning objectives
A student who has met the objectives of the course will be able to:
1. Knowledge:
After completing the course the student is expected to
· understand that animal experimentation is complicated and requires current training to secure the well-being of the animals and the scientific outcome
· explain the biological basis of laboratory animal breeding and maintenance, housing and management including basic genetics and reproduction, health monitoring, housing and handling (pre-, intra and post-procedural)
· explain the legal basis for animal experimentation
· explain and critically evaluate the scientific methods applied within animal experimentation including blood sampling, injections, principles for drug-development and testing, anesthesia and analgesia and evaluation of pain -and stress related behaviour in laboratory animals
· discuss the basic biology of laboratory animals including behavioural and physiological needs
· explain and critically evaluate basic knowledge relating to design and evaluation of studies using live animals
2. Skills:
After completing the course the student is expected to
· organize self-training on handling and procedures in the most common laboratory animals
· discuss and evaluate the basic principles on how to use animals for research
· discuss and evaluate principles of procedures on their future experiments
· discuss, evaluate and argue about the ethical basis for the use of animals for research
3. Competencies:
After completing the course the student is expected to
· independently take responsibility to implement and further develop practical skills in handling of common rodents used for research
· independently take responsibility to implement and further develop practical skills in the performance of basic animal experiments
· achieve a personal license to independently plan, implement and take responsibility for the design and performance of animal experimentation within the European Union according to the EU Directive 2010/63/EU Article 23.2 and the Danish executive order 2028 of 14/12/2020, §56.
Content
The course is a function A/B/D course according to the EU Directive 2010/63/EU Article 23.2 (previously designated category C), accredited by the Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations (FELASA) and approved by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries under the Danish Government.
The course gives practical and theoretic introduction to handling, housing and using laboratory animals and how to replace, refine and reduce the use of live animals for research.
After completed course, the participant will get a FELASA accredited certificate from the University of Copenhagen, and will be registered in the European FELASA database. The participant will thus be entitled to achieve a personal license to independently plan, implement and take responsibility for the design and performance of animal experimentation within the European Union according to the EU Directive 2010/63/EU Article 23.2 and the Danish executive order 2028 of 14/12/2020, §56.
The course adheres to the EU Directive 2010/63/EU and the more detailed learning outcomes described in the European Commission Framework for Education and Training: https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/fca9ae7f-2554-11e9-8d04-01aa75ed71a1
Participants
PhD students
Relevance to graduate programmes
The course is relevant to PhD students from the following graduate programmes at the Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences, UCPH:
Language
English
Form
Theory is offered via online teaching (e-lectures, case studies, theoretical exercises) at all times, with the possibility to meet teachers on-line and in person on regular occasions.
Compulsory practicals (in total three sessions during two consecutive days) are offered weekly on dates selected by the participants.
The course is ended with an oral examination.
Workload
E-learning 85 h
Plenary sessions 12 h
Practical exercises 12 h
Preparation 95 h
Exam 2 h
TOTAL 206 h
Course director
Klas Abelson, Professor, PhD
Department of Experimental Medicine
klasab@sund.ku.dk
Axel Kornerup Hansen, Professor, DVM
Department of Veterinary and Animal Science
akh@sund.ku.dk
Teachers
Staff at the Department of Experimental Medicine and the Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at the University of Copenhagen.
Dates
1 September 2025 - 7 November 2025
Course location
Department of Experimental Medicine, Panum, Blegdamsvej 3B, DK-2200 Copenhagen N.
Frederiksberg Campus, Dyrlægevej 45, DK-1870, Frederiksberg.
Registration
Please register before 1 August 2025
Expected frequency
This course is offered four times a year.
Seats to PhD students from other Danish universities will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and according to the applicable rules. Applications from other participants will be considered after the last day of enrolment.
Note: All applicants are asked to submit invoice details in case of no-show, late cancellation or obligation to pay the course fee (typically non-PhD students). If you are a PhD student, your participation in the course must be in agreement with your principal supervisor.