Disease Models

“For every biological question, there is an organism best suited to its solution” – Krogh A. (1929)

In BIOEMTECH we strongly believe that for each biological problem, there is a right model. Our established models include:

(1) A wide variety of oncology models (covering all the major molecular targets)

(2) Myocardial infarction

(3) Lung and colon fibrosis

(4) NAFLD (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease)

BIOEMTECH Animal Facilities are registered user establishments (EL25BIOexp045 & EL09BIOexp07), according to national legislation (PD 56/2013) which adopts European Directive 63/2010/EU. Hence, the Project Evaluation Committee approves all protocol applications before authorization by the competent veterinary authority, and the Animal Welfare Body supervises and consults on animal use and welfare. Our designated veterinarians and personnel, trained for functions ABCD, undertake animal care and use.

At BIOEMTECH we highly value the principle of replacement, reduction and refinement (3Rs) and strive to apply the most refined care and use biomethodology for our animal models. We appreciate the contribution of animal research to the progress of biomedical science. We recognize the importance of tending to animal welfare in order to produce valid results and comply to ethical and legal standards. We are members of HSBLAS / FELASA and EARA, follow international guidelines and updates, and support openness. Our designated veterinarians supervise all animal procedures and are available to immediately consult shall welfare issues arise. Our animal technologists check every animal at least once per day. We organize detailed animal welfare monitoring of our projects in order to ensure minimum severity and fast application of humane endpoints.

Services in more detail

• Protocol authorization according to national legislation
• Project design and reporting according to ARRIVE Guidelines
• Project organization and implementation, data collection, according to GLP
• Animal procurement from registered local or international breeders
• Consultation on animal use procedures selection to fit project needs and comply to the principle of 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement)
• Selection of humane endpoints, compilation of welfare/daily monitoring sheets, welfare monitoring and application of humane endpoints according to project plan.
• Model set-up, including subcutaneous tumor inoculation
• Substance administration (intravenous, retroorbital, intraperitoneal, intramuscular, subcutaneous, orogastric, oral, in food/water, in treats, intratracheal, topical)
• Blood collection (survival: facial vein, tail vein, terminal: cauda vena cava, abdominal aorta, heart) & analysis
• Urine collection (survival: free flow, terminal: bladder) & analysis
• Analgesia (buprenorphine, carprofen, subcutaneous or in treats, local)
• Surgery (model set-up, aseptic procedures, macro & microsurgical instruments) and post-operative care
• Imaging in BIOEMTECH Laboratories (x-ray, SPECT, PET, CT, optical) or collaborating facilities (ultrasound, MRI)
• Organ collection
• Preparation of organ samples for histology (shipment to collaborating lab for paraffin embedding, sectioning and staining)
• Sample shipment to any selected laboratories
• Training on animal procedures, organization of relative courses