Handling and experimenting on laboratory pigs
Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences at University of Copenhagen
This course is free of charge for PhD students at Danish universities (except Copenhagen Business School), and for PhD Students from NorDoc member faculties. All other participants must pay the course fee.
Anyone can apply for the course, but if you are not a PhD student at a Danish university, you will be placed on the waiting list until enrollment deadline. This also applies to PhD students from NorDoc member faculties. After the enrollment deadline, available seats will be allocated to applicants on the waiting list.
Learning objectives
A student who has met the objectives of the course will be able to:
1. In combination with an EU Function ABD laboratory animal science course be eligible to achieve a license for experiments on pigs in accordance with the EU Directive 2010/63/EU.
2. Fufill the pig specific learning outcomes of the EU Guidance paper 'A working document on the development of a common education and training framework to fulfil the requirements under the Directive'
3. Have a basic understanding of comparative and basic biology, breeding, health as well as anesthesia, surgery, euthanasia and pain sensitivity of pigs
4. Do further self-training on experimental procedures in pigs as introduced on the course
Content
1. Online modules with videos, text materials and quizzes
a. Comparative and Basic Biology of Pigs (EU modules 3.1., 4, 7)
b. Breeding and Genetics of Pigs (EU modules 3.1)
c. Health Issues of Pigs (EU module 4)
d. Pain, Anesthesia, Surgery, and Euthanasia in Pigs (EU modules 5, 6.1, 20, 22)
2. Online realtime introduction and question plenum sessions with a teacher
3. Practical exercise with handling, minor procedures, anesthesia and euthanasia of a pig (EU module 7)
4. 1 hour written exam with all helping tools allowed
Participants
PhD students within veterinary, medical, odontological, biomedical, biotechnological, and biological science who has passed an EU Function ABD laboratory animal science course.
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:
- All graduate programmes
- Preclinical In Vivo Research
- Veterinary and Animal Health Sciences
Language
English
Form
The online modules will be available on our Moodle teaching platform.
The students can follow these on any time according to their own schedule. In the beginning of every of two quarters, in which the course is offered, there will be an introduction in real-time, which will be given online.
At the end of each quarter there will be a similar question session online in real-time. In ach of these two quarters there will be an option for signing in for a practical exercise with a live pig, which will be handled, anesthetized, subjected to minor procedures and euthanized.
Twice per year there will be an online written exam.
Course director
Axel Kornerup Hansen, professor, IVH/KU-SUND, akh@sund.ku.dk
Teachers
Axel Kornerup Hansen, professor, IVH/KU-SUND
Klas Abelson, associate professor, AEM/KU-SUND
Dorte Bratbo Sørensen, associate professor, IVH/KU-SUND
Camilla Sichlau Bruun, associate professor, IVH/KU-SUND
Claus Bøttcher Jørgensen, associate professor, IVH/KU-SUND
Inge Larsen, assistant professor, IVH/KU-SUND
Amanda Brinch Kruse, assistant professor, IVH/KU-SUND
Karsten Hammelev, laboratory animal veterinarian, AEM/KU-SUND
Heidi Stjerne Tingleff, laboratory animal veterinarian, AEM/KU-SUND
Dates
April 2 2025 to May 30 2025
Online plenum sessions April 2 2025 11,00 - 12,00 / May 28 2025 11,00 - 12,00
Practical exercises April 25 2025 8,30 - 15,00
Exam May 30 2025 11,00 - 11,45
Course location
Theory: Online
Practicals: AEM pig facilities Frederiksberg Campus
Registration
Please register before March 13 2025
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.