VTBMS 7020 - The Practice of Laboratory Animal Medicine

Fall, Spring. 1 credit. Student option grading.

Prerequisite: basic knowledge of anatomy and pathology in comparative animal species. Enrollment limited to: upper-level undergraduate or graduate students. Permission of the Instructor is required.

M. E. Martin.

Laboratory animal veterinarians must be trained in the regulatory aspects of research and teaching utilizing animals; in addition, they must understand the principles of facility management and design. Also, to work with researchers, lab animal veterinarians must have knowledge of basic research methodologies and animal welfare issues. This course may also be of interest to other veterinarians, veterinary students, and researchers who wish to understand the workings of the specialized field that oversees and enables the use of animals in research and teaching. The topics covered include: Laboratory Animal Medicine: Historical Perspectives; Laws, Regulations, and Policies; Design and Management of Animal Facilities; Anesthesia, Analgesia, and Euthanasia; Techniques of Experimentation; Control of Biohazards Used in Animal Research; Selected Zoonoses/Xenozoonoses; Genetic Monitoring; Transgenic and Knock-out Mice; Factors Influencing Animal Research; Animal Models in Biomedical Research; Research in Lab Animal and Comparative Medicine; and Lab Animal Behavior. The course will meet for 1 hour weekly and will extend over the course of two years, though each term is independent and can be taken separately.