BASIC INFORMATION

 

Duration of the elective: 1 month

 

Number of students: 1

 

Prerequisites: Students should participate and pass the required exam for the theoretical part of the Laboratory Animals Use Certificate Course

 

Location(s): Koç University Rumelifeneri Campus, KUTTAM Laboratory Animals Research Facility and Zebra Fish Laboratory (KUTTAM-KUH).

 

 

CONTACT INFORMATION

 

Elective Director: Prof. Hakan Sedat Orer

 

Elective Faculty: Prof. Hakan Sedat Orer, Gülnihal Özcan and other relevant faculty who is conducting Animal Experiments

 

 

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF STUDENT ACTIVITIES

 

Students who express their interests in an ongoing research project on animals will initially contact the PI, and if a mutual agreement is made, they can apply for the elective. Due to capacity constraints, in each academic semester, only one student will be admitted. The accepted student will participate in all laboratory activities of the PI’s group and other animal husbandry and care activities performed by the staff during the remaining three weeks. A detailed schedule will be prepared with the contribution of the student and the staff.

 

Students will initially complete the practical training for Laboratory Animals Use Certificate and obtain the certificate before starting the procedures on animals. This training involves animal handling and basic procedures on rats and mice (and optionally on zebrafish). According to National regulations (HADMEK), it will last one week. Some additional training may be needed to perform specific procedures on animals, depending on the projects involved. More information on the facilities and SOPs is available through the KUTTAM website.

 

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

 

Brief: Students are expected to perform experiments on animal models of behavior and disease.

 

Specific objectives are:

 

• To obtain laboratory animals use certificate
• To perform basic laboratory procedures on rodents
• To learn how to operate a surgical microscope
• To administer inhalation anesthesia to rodents

 

ASSESSMENT OR EVALUATION

 

Reports filled out by the PI about the progress made are the primary formative assessment method. For that, students may be required to write a report on their activities.

 

Assessments and theoretical exams to obtain Laboratory Animals Use Certificate are also included in the evaluations.