Model Organism

The Model Organism Unit is a Core Facility that provides infrastructure and services on the following model organisms: mouse, aquatic species (zebrafish and frog), fly, and plants. The core facility services include husbandry procedures, general maintenance of facilities and equipment, advanced services such as rederivation, cryopreservation, production of germ-free animals, gnotobiology, metabolism, conditions for infection studies with biological agents of biosafety level 2 (ABSL-2) and level 3 (ABSL-3), assistance to researchers, colony maintenance, animal importation and exportation, organisation of Laboratory Animal Science (LAS) Courses, and support on legal issues. The core facility seeks to integrate management of the different model facilities, namely by sharing technological development and good practices among different animal and plant models. The team is composed by highly trained personnel and comprises a head, managers, specialized and animal technicians for each species, and an animal welfare officer for vertebrate species. At the same time, the core facility management combines flexibility and adaptability, by having personnel trained in more than one species. This allows the Unit to easily adapt to research dynamics, promotes a culture of shared values and principles, contributes to an efficient and fast response to challenges, and to a close relationship with the researchers.

IGC Statement on Animals in Research