Webalias: www.su.se/licencepermitoffice

Organization for animal research at Stockholm University

Animal research at Stockholm University is organized via several different departments where animal welfare officers (“föreståndare” in Swedish) are responsible for managing the work. There are several research animal facilities at Stockholm University and it is possible to do research on many different species including wild animals. The main responsibility for experimental animal research lies with the license holder, who is assisted by the license permit office.

Organisation chart:

Organisation chart

Insects are not considered research animals and are not included in the animal welfare act.

If you are interested in doing animal research at any of these departments or facilities, please contact the respective manager/föreståndare:

 

The license permit office

The license permit office deals with all aspects related to research using research animals at Stockholm University. The office ensures that SU complies with the existing legal requirements and is a resource to both animal welfare officers and researchers at SU.

 

The animal welfare body (AWB)

All establishments that work with research animals are obliged to have a animal welfare body (“djurskyddsorgan” in Swedish) that actively seeks to promote good animal care in their daily work. The AWB shall produce and review routines to ensure animal welfare, advice on how to apply the 3R-principles and can also decide on amendments of current ethical approval.

The AWB should also follow the development and result of the animal research that are conducted within Stockholm University. To do this, the AWB has developed a survey which is sent out to the principal investigators when their ethical approval is about to expire. 

VT 2024 meetings

  • January 18 (apply latest December 27)
  • February 13 (apply latest January 22)
  • March 12 (apply latest February 19)
  • April 16 (apply latest March 25)
  • May 14 (apply latest April 22)

 

Guidelines and forms from the AWB: 

Contact: do-e.mbw@su.se  

 

The principal investigator

There are many different responsibilities within an animal research establishment that need to be carried out. When you conduct animal research at Stockholm University, it is obligatory for you to be aware of your responsibilities as a principal investigator.

 

Rules and regulations

Animal research is strictly regulated and is subject to both Swedish and EU legislation. Directive 2010/63/EU is the European Union (EU) legislation “on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes”. In the Swedish Animal Welfare Act there are basic rules for how animals should be cared for (it is applicable to all animal groups, including invertebrates). More details can be found in the Animal Welfare ordinance and in The Swedish board of agriculture’s regulations and general advice on laboratory animals (L150). You can find the Swedish legislation and regulations about animals on the Swedish board of agriculture’s website. 

 

GMO-permit

The main principle is that no living genetically modified organisms (GMOs) shall leave the University unless there are special reasons. Anyone conducing activities with the contained use of GMOs must report this via the University’s Biosafety Committee to the relevant supervisory authority, which can issue a time-limited permit after an inspection. If you are going to work with genetically modified animals (vertebrates), please contact your “Föreståndare” and Tillståndshavarkansliet. The application for this must be sent via Tillståndshavarkansliet. If you are going to use GMO evertebrater, you will find more information here: Biosäkerhet - Medarbetarwebben (su.se)

 

Mandatory education for anyone working with research animals 

According to the legislation, anyone working with research animals- be they principal investigators, researchers, students or technicians- must have the appropriate education.  

L150, CH 6.
§ 2 Persons who use, breed, provide, or keep laboratory animals shall have education according to this chapter before they may: 
1. conduct animal experiments, 
2. design animal experiments, 
3. care for laboratory animals, or 
4. kill laboratory animals. 

Mandatory education for everyone that works with research animals/conducts research with research animals at Stockholm University. 

  PhD/master student Researcher PI
LAS Law&ethics X X X
LAS function C+D (take care & euthanasia) X X X
LAS function A (perform procedures) X (exception can be made if you only are going to euthanize animals) X X
LAS function B (design experiments)     X
CPD (continuous professional development) X X X

 

The animal welfare officer (“föreståndare”) shall ensure that the requirements for education and competence in L150 are followed. For the basic education, people who work at SU or are affiliated, can use NCLASET’s (Nordic Consortium for Laboratory Animal Science Education and Training) courses which SU is a part of.

The consortium has an educational web platform, where the jointly developed and maintained on-line theoretical course modules are provided. The practical part of the training is carried out at SU. The courses available on the web platform are: 

  • Swedish legislation & Ethics, animal welfare and 3R
  • Laboratory Animal Science Function A+C+D – Rodents and lagomorphs
  • Laboratory Animal Science Function A+C+D – Fish
  • Laboratory Animal Science – Fish Survey Techniques
  • Laboratory Animal Science Function A+C+D – Aquatic amphibians
  • Laboratory Animal Science Function A+C+D – Birds

For registration, please contact tillstandshavarkansliet.mbw@su.se

If you need to take the Function B-course, please contact your Föreståndare.

In addition to the mandatory basic education, everyone is required to be continuously trained/educated (CPD- continuing professional development). Several different animal research-related activities can count as CPD, for example:

  • Conferences,
  • Courses,
  • CPD-seminars arranged by universities in Sweden,
  • Scientific seminars in relevant fields,
  • The Swedish research council’s day about questions regarding animal research.

Don’t forget to save course certificates and certificates of attendance, so you can provide your “föreståndare” with it if necessary.

In addition to the Swedish legislation, SU also has some internal rules and guidelines that anyone working with research animals at SU, or who is affiliated to SU, need to follow. 

 

Studies with research animals abroad

Stockholm University’s research ethics policy states that:  

”If research is done outside Sweden, it is necessary to ensure that both Swedish and foreign regulations and guidelines are followed to the extent that they are applicable. In case foreign regulations or ethical guidelines allow activities, which are not permitted according to Swedish regulations and guidelines, an adequate level of protection for humans and animals must still be ensured, primarily through applying the Swedish standard also abroad.
All research including animals is subject to the 3R-principles (Replace, Reduce, Refine). This means replacing animal experiments with methods not using animals when this still permits answering the research question (Replace), using as few animals a possible to answer the research question (Reduce), and continually improve the conditions for animal welfare as well as designing experiments so as to inflict as little distress as possible (Refine).” 

Stockholm University’s Animal Welfare Body has prepared a self-assessment form to assist researchers in assessing whether their research complies with Swedish ethical standards or not.

 

Contact

  • Any question regarding research including animal experimentation can be sent to: tillstandshavarkansliet.mbw@su.se
  • Questions regarding animal welfare, 3R or amendments of ethical approval can be sent to: do-e.mbw@su.se. 
  • For question about research with animal experimentation abroad and for the form, please contact: do-e.mbw@su.se