Forskning og forskningsressurser ved KPM OUS
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Research group: Applied laboratory animal anaesthesia and analgesia
Group leader: Henrik Rasmussen
The primary aim of the research performed in the group for Applied laboratory animal anaesthesia and analgesia is to evaluate, document and improve protocols for anaesthesia and analgesia used in laboratory animals.
Animal models generate preclinical results of great importance for clinical trials and treatment. The validity of translational research and the ethical basis for the use of experimental animals require that unnecessary pain is reduced to the minimum level that is compatible with the experimental purpose by using optimal analgesia. Unnecessary pain is not compliant with current legislation, has negative effects on animal welfare, and is a significant source of error, inconclusive or non-reproducible results.
Research on the use of anaesthesia/analgesia in experimental animals has great practical importance for animal welfare by enabling dosing with the least possible stress and the longest possible dosing frequency. The limited documentation of analgesia efficacy in actual animal models is a challenge for the research community and this knowledge gap must be closed to both ensure animal welfare and the quality of research that uses laboratory animals.
The group and its members collaborate with individual users and institutes that carry out animal experiments at OUS, UiT and NMBU.
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Group leader: Henrik Rasmussen
Research group: Ethology and animal welfare
Group leader: Karin Westereng Handegård
The research group's purpose is to study behaviour and behavioural changes in laboratory animals, in order to document and improve conditions that have a direct impact on the animals' welfare.
Displayed behaviour is an important welfare indicator, and can tell us a lot about the animal's well-being where physiological parameters appear normal or in combination with physiological changes. In prey animals, such as rodents and rabbits, behavioural changes may be very subtle and difficult to recognise. The group's aim is to contribute with promotion of good animal welfare for laboratory animals through knowledge and refinement. Refinement is a basic principle in 3R that can have an important effect on both animal welfare and research results. We seek to find improvements that will provide better animal welfare for animals housed at KPM, in accordance with the 3R principles. It is fundamentally important that we, as one of Norways largest laboratory animal department, focus on ethology and animal welfare alongside basic medical research.
The group and its members collaborate with individual users and institutes that carry out animal experiments at OUS and NMBU, as well as other Norwegian ethologists.
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Research group: Experimental gnotobiology
Group leader: Petra Hanzely
The aim of Experimental gnotobiology research group is to investigate the complex interactions between hosts and their microbiota using germ-free and defined microbiota animal models. Our goal is to understand how specific microorganisms and microbial communities shape host physiology, immune development, metabolism, and contribute to disease development or act as disease modifiers.
In the recent years, gut microbiome gained a lot of interest for its role in health and disease. However, mechanisms by which microbes influence these processes remains largely unknown. The use of germ-free and gnotobiotic mice provides a unique opportunity how to study individual bacteria or bacterial consortia in well-controlled conditions.
The group is part of Experimental gnotobiotic facility, providing infrastructure and expertise in the design and implementation of gnotobiotic studies and supporting microbiome-related research.
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The Experimental Gnotobiotic Facility focuses on the use of germ-free and defined microbiota animal models to study host–microbe interactions under controlled microbial conditions. Our mission is to support and advance research exploring how specific microorganisms or microbial communities influence various diseases and disease conditions.
We provide infrastructure and expertise for germ-free and defined microbiota animal models. We support research on host–microbe interactions, microbiota transplantation, and microbial colonisation, enabling controlled and mechanistic studies of microbiome-driven processes in health and disease.
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Email: Petra Hanzely
The Gustafsson-Midtvedt Gnotobiology Archive is a curated collection of publications on germ-free and gnotobiotic animal models, published between 1885 and 1974. The archive was compiled by Bengt Gustafsson and Tore Midtvedt, and includes both physical reprints and a digital version.
The electronic archive is available through Zotero, offering open access to metadata and PDF versions where copyright permits. The collection serves as a resource for researchers and professionals interested in the history and development of gnotobiology.
Zotero is a free, web-based platform, and anyone with the link can browse the archive. Contact information is included in the database for those who wish to request paper copies of publications. Due to copyright restrictions, PDF files can only be shared when they are publicly available.
The physical archive is located at KPM, and paper copies can be provided upon request.
Archive responsible: Petra Hanzely