The Animal Facility (AF) is responsible for the care, welfare and health of laboratory animals used for scientific purposes. AF provides space to house rodents and includes a specific pathogen-free vivarium (SPF) to house transgenic models. Fully equipped surgical and behavioral testing rooms, mouse genetic laboratories for generation of new transgenic models and imaging resources are also available on site.
Researchers, supported by the AF staff, manipulate laboratory animals in compliance with national regulations on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes (Italian decree n. 26 dated 04/03/2014 acknowledging European Directive 2010/63/EU) and with the principle of the “3Rs” (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement).
The “Three Rs” principle is based on the rule that animals should be used only if a scientist’s best efforts to find a non-animal alternative have failed, in which case only the most humane methods should be used on the smallest number of animals required to obtain valid information.
The above mentioned decree also sets out the establishment of the “Organismo per il Benessere degli Animali” (OPBA), the animal welfare organism whose primary task is giving advice on animal welfare issues. Furthermore, OPBA follows the development and outcome of projects carried out by our facility.
