LAT Ch. 1-3

Chapter One 

Overview of Scientific Research

Erasistratus- studied animal anatomy.

  • First to show heart valves limit blood flow in one direction. 


Beginning of the 1500s is the modern experimental era


William Harvey- discovered circulation of blood in the 1600s, greatest discovereis in physiology. 


Carl Linneaus: physician and zoologist the developed taxonomic system that classifies living organisms based on anatomical traits that are still used today. 


The scientific method was validated in France in the 1800s by Claude Bernard. 


Infectious Dieases investigations were being conducted by Louis Posteur , who is known for his groundbreaking work in microbiology and the development of the principles of vaccination, microbial fermentation, and pasteurization.

Dr. Walter Reed: an American physician who is best known for his work on yellow fever and for demonstrating that the disease is transmitted by mosquitoes. The advancements made by these scientists laid the groundwork for modern medicine and our understanding of disease transmission, which paved the way for future research in epidemiology and public health initiatives.

Research: the systematic collection and analysis of data to develop insights, test hypotheses, and further our understanding of health and disease patterns.

    Research requires years of effort. It begins with in vitro studies that help researchers understand cellular processes and interactions before moving on to in vivo experiments (preclincal) that examine the effects of treatments in living organisms. After testing on animals, they then test on humans (Clinical trials).

  1. Steps in the research process include:

  2. 1) Define a question

  3. 2) Formulate an objective framework

  4. 3) establish a hypothesis

  5. 4) create a research design

  6. 5) idenify variables

  7. 6) collect and analyze data

  8. 7) report data and conclusions

When data are collected and analyzed, it is published in a peer review journal.

Chapter 2

Utilization and Care of Vertebrate Animals Used in Testing, Research, and Training: The ethical considerations surrounding the treatment of vertebrate animals during testing and research are paramount to ensuring humane practices and compliance with regulatory standards. Such considerations include adequate housing, nutrition, and medical care, along with ensuring that procedures minimize pain and distress.

These principles espouse some core values regarding the ethical treatment of laboratory animals:

  1. The use of animals in research should be scientifically relevant and appropriate.

  2. Animals used in research should be maintained in a way that provides them with as much physical and psychological well-being as possible.

  3. Animals used in research should not be subjected to unnecessary pain and distress. If these effects are unavoidable, efforts should be made to minimize the extent and duration of the pain and distress.

  4. If severe pain in animals cannot be relieved, they should be humanely euthanized in order to end their suffering.

  • Replacement: Can animals be replaced by non-animal alternatives or less sentient species without interfering with the objectives of the study?

  • Reduction: Can fewer animals be used without altering the validity of the study data?

  • Refinement: Can the procedures used in the study be refined to lessen pain and distress or minimize the number of potentially painful procedures that the animals must undergo during the study?

Animal welfare is a human responsibility that encompasses all aspects of animal wellbeing. People engaged in scientific research have a moral obligation to treat laboratory animals humanely and responsibly.

Chapter 3

Administrative duties are a critical aspect of animal program operations. While perhaps not as visible as other facility tasks, an animal care and use program could not function without administrative duties such as recordkeeping, training, security, budgeting, and cost accounting. A strong adherence to administrative oversight is also critical to compliance with the regulatory requirements for laboratory animal programs.

Good recordkeeping is necessary for good research results. Proper documentation of all animal care and use program activities should be the responsibility of all facility employees.

Depending on the type of research, funding source, and animal species, the records that may be required for animal research facilities include:

  1. Animal receipt, tracking, and disposition records, especially for USDA-covered species

  2. Quarantine and testing records

  3. Animal husbandry logs

  4. Animal census records

  5. Environmental enrichment logs

  6. Records of proper sanitation and housekeeping for the entire facility

  7. Records of environmental conditions within the facility

  8. Veterinary care and surgical records

  9. Drug and supply inventories

  10. Controlled substance logs

  11. Records of drug or test article receipt, storage, and use

  12. Equipment inventory, receipt, and maintenance records

  13. Supply receipt, storage, rotation, and use records

  14. Employee training records, both initial and ongoing

  15. Occupational health and safety records

  16. IACUC review records

Cage Cards—

Information on cage cards often includes a cage identification number and census information about the animals in the cage, including animal identification numbers, species and strain, source or supplier, date received, date of birth, sex, protocol number, billing identification numbers, and the name of the principal investigator responsible for the animals. The card may also have a section for general remarks, such as animal weight and color or markings. These cards can be color-coded to reflect strain, designation, sex, breeding, study manipulations, health status, or other important information.

Identification tags must be retained for a year after the animal is euthanized or disposed of for possible review by a USDA inspector.

Expenses can be broken down into direct costs and indirect costs.

Direct costs are those that can be attributed to a specific service or project. This includes, but is not limited to the purchase of animals, feed, bedding costs, and labor to care for the animals as well as wash the cages.

Indirect costs are those costs that are required regardless of the service, project, or quantity and type of animals cared for. These include costs for facility utilities, equipment depreciation, security, and administration, such as human resources, finance, and compliance functions.

Budgeted and actual revenue and expenses are compared on a regular basis, typically monthly, quarterly, and annually. This allows for an analysis of budgeting assumptions, demand for services, and the rates charged for services. The comparison also assists in planning for future resource needs such as personnel and high cost equipment or facility renovations.

Rates are determined for various services, such as animal holding, laboratory tests, surgery, and other technical services.

Most of the revenue generated for a facility comes from the per diem rate, which is the cost to house one animal for one day.

These rates are calculated based on the total supply and labor costs for a specific species. Supply costs include, but may not be limited to, feed, bedding, cleaning chemicals, and personal protective equipment (PPE). Labor costs include the salary and fringe benefits for the animal facility staff members.

For some species, the per diem rate is on a per cage or tank basis, and for others it is on a per animal basis.

To determine the rate, the sum of all costs is divided by the number of days in a year and divided again by either the average number of cages or animals housed in year.

This gives a dollar cost per cage or animal per day, which is the per diem rate. These rates are often set for the upcoming year based on the previous year’s budget data. Per diem rates differ widely between institutions, due to the ways institutions allocate costs, regional costs for supplies and labor, their philosophy on budgets, and subsidies they provide to the animal facility.

The AWRs specify training objectives for research and technical personnel (including students) to meet the requirements for humane care and use of animals.

These personnel should receive training in the following areas for each species they work with:

  • basic husbandry;

  • appropriate handling methods and procedures;

  • proper pre- and post-procedural care;

  • ways to apply the 3Rs, such as reducing the number of animals needed, minimizing animal distress, and avoiding unnecessary duplication of research involving animals;

  • aseptic surgical methods and procedures;

  • proper use of anesthetics, analgesics, and tranquilizers;

  • methods for reporting deficiencies in animal care and treatment.