The actual version of the Recommendations for the health monitoring of rodent and rabbit colonies in breeding and experimental units was completed in June 2001. The preamble states that these recommendations will be under periodical review and amendments will be published as necessary...

The use of animals in education and training of students was minimized during the last years. due to many reasons ranging from cost, reduction in numbers of relevant courses, changed teaching methods, students disliking animal work, and the development of good alternatives that achieve teaching objectives in the sense of the 3Rs...

• Christa van Ginneken (BCLAS)
• Catriene Thuring (NVP)
• Andrew William Trafford (LASA)
• Maria Rosario Moyano Salvago (SECAL)
• Mats Sjöquist (Scand-LAS)

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Historically, clinical signs have been noted and registered in toxicological research, as part of the identification of any dose-dependent adverse effects. Glossaries have been developed to that end, to harmonize descriptive terminology and to avoid diagnostic terms rather than descriptive terms (eg. ‘pregnant’ vs. ‘distended belly’). Many toxicology laboratories use automated systems to register these observations...

• Maryline Borrens (BCLAS)
• Aurélie Girod (AFSTAL)
• Florine Morrison (LASA)
• Lelovas Pavlos (HSBLAS)
• Yolanda Saavedra-Torres (SECAL)

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Details to follow shortly, please check back soon or contact us here if you require this information more urgently.

Successful breeding programmes of genetically modified animals rely on efficient and reliable genotyping methods. Selection of a genotyping method in the context of breeding programmes is dependent on the target, the quantity of animals to be analysed and sensitivity and reliability of methods among others...

Convenor: Dolores Bonaparte (SPCAL)
Members:

• Paolo Cinelli (SGV)
• Eleni Douni (HSBLAS)
• Yann Hérault (AFSTAL)
• Alex Maas (NVP)
• Matti Poutanen (ScandLAS)
• Mirentxu Santos Lafuente (SECAL)
• Ferdinando Scavizzi (AISAL)

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Continuing education or continuing professional development is a vital prerequisit for ensuring success in professional carreers. After a basic education, knowledge and skills are to be further developed, enlarged and assured over a long time during professional engagement. Good practices are changing over time, and new emerging technologies and knowledge should be incorporated...

Convenor: David Smith (LASA)
Members:

• Alain Dorier (AFSTAL)
• Ruediger Hack (GV-SOLAS)
• Mats Sjöquist (Scand-LAS)
• Joana Visa (SECAL)
• Walter Zeller (SGV)

Corresponding members

• Bob Ruane (LASA)
• Beatrice de Smet (BCLAS)
• Juergen Weiss (GV-SOLAS)

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• Download "Guidelines for Continuing Education for Persons Involved in Animal Experiments"

Animal identification is a crucial element in almost every experiment. The identification of an animal is the only link to very important data, like the genotype for instance. The need for genotyping leads to the requirement to identify very young mice, thus creating specific problems...

Convenor: Kristina Dahlborn (Scand-LAS)
Members:

• Philippe Bugnon (SGV)
• Timo Nevalainen (Scand-LAS)
• Marcello Raspa (AISAL)
• Pieter Verbost (NVP)

Corresponding members

• Elin Spangenberg (Scand-LAS)

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This paper summarizes a more detailed report produced by the Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations (FELASA 2005), which describes and explores a set of principles for the conduct of ethical review of laboratory animal use. It presents a synopsis of results from a questionnaire that elicited information on how each of 20 countries represented in FELASA currently approaches such ethical review...

• Frank van den Broek (NVP)
• Jordi Canto (SECAL)
• Hans-Joachim Hackbarth (GV-SOLAS)
• Osvaldas Ruksenas (BaltLASA)
• Walter Zeller (SGV)

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Veterinary professionals working in partnership with other competent persons are essential for a successful animal care and use programme. A veterinarian’s primary responsibilities are defined by their own professional regulatory bodies, but in this area of work there are further opportunities for contribution, which will assist in safeguarding the health and welfare of animals used in research...

• Ignacio Alvarez Gomez de Segura (FELASA)
• Philippe Baneux (ESLAV)
• Jann Hau (FELASA)
• Stefan Niewiesk (ECLAM)
• Sarah Wolfensohn (ECLAM)

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This paper summarizes a more detailed report produced by the Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations (FELASA 2005), which describes and explores a set of principles for the conduct of ethical review of laboratory animal use. It presents a synopsis of results from a questionnaire that elicited information on how each of 20 countries represented in FELASA currently approaches such ethical review...

• Bruno Bacon
• Harry van Herck (NVP)
• Brian Howard (LASA)
• Rafaels Joffe

• Javier Guillen (SECAL)
• Felix Homberger (GV-SOLAS)

• Kathryn Bayne (AAALAC)

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There has been a substantial increase in the use of transgenic rodents in recent years. One reason for this is that the genomes of man, mouse and rat have now been completely sequenced and this has stimulated the development of models for investigating the functional roles of newly discovered genes and prompted basic studies of gene function and regulation. Some mutant mice and rats also serve as models for the study of genetically determined human and animal diseases...

• Patrizia Costa (AISAL)
• Hans Hedrich (GV-SOLAS)
• Kevin Humphries (LASA)
• Xavier Montagutelli (AFSTAL)
• Belen Pintado (SECAL)
• Rikke Thon (ScandLas)

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On the basis of the experience of the FELASA accreditation board for Teaching and Training, it is considered necessary to revise the current FELASA cat. A guidelines. These current cat. A guidelines are not no more in agreement with the various educational systems for animal technicians and describe a rather complicated system of education. Moreover, the educational systems for animal technicians vary from country to country in Europe...

• Philippe Chambrier (AFSTAL)
• Livia Ferrari (AISAL)
• Filip Mulkens (BCLAS)
• Hans Sigg (SGV)
• Neil Yates (LASA)

• Virgijnia Bukelskiene (BALT-LAS)
• Morten Kobaek-Larsen (ScandLAS)
• Miriam van der Meulen-Frank (NVP)
• Manuel Moreno (SECAL)

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