At Umeå University research are performed to understand how diseases develop and progress as well as possible ways of treating them. Basic research with the intension to study and understand biological phenomena is also conducted. Many studies can be performed on microbes, insects and cultured cells. However, in order to fully understand how diseases affect the entire organism, studies on animals and especial mammals are required.
Animal models have played a major and important role in expanding medical knowledge in modern time and improving the medical service possibilities to offer effective treatments or preventive measures against sever diseases.
Several of the most important findings from researchers at Umeå University are based entirely or partly on animal experiments. Including causes of the fatal neuoropathological disease ALS, understanding causes of diabetes type 2, new ways of tackling infertility, repair of spinal cord injuries with transplanting or inducing new growth of nerve tissue, disease progression during infections, and new knowledge of cancerous diseases as well as formation of different organ systems.
Five brown mice in a cage
ImageMice, rats, and zebrafish are the most common used animal species in medical research at Umeå University. The majority of all animal experiments are performed on mice.
The complete genome of the mouse is as well mapped as the human genome. 95 percentage of all genes in the mouse genome are also found in the human genome. These facts allows researchers to track and study genes and gene products that cause disease in addition to understand function of different organs.
Experiments on animals are strictly regulated and governed by Swedish laws and EU legislation on animal welfare. In order to be able to do experiment on laboratory animals in Sweden, you must first apply for permission from a Regional Animal Research Ethics Committee, which conduct an ethical review on the experiments. The Regional Animal Research Ethics Committee consist of research representatives, laymen and a judge whose task is to weigh the effect on the animals against the benefit of the research.
In-depth and up to date information about rules and ethics regulating research on laboratory animals and examples of successful research on this topic can you find on the web-site djurförsök.info (only in Swedish). The web-site is launched by the Swedish Research Council and eight Swedish Universities, including Umeå University.
More information about ethical approval and read our practical tips on how to handle both e-services and information about routines at UCCB, found on our information site (only available for employees at Umeå University).
Who are allowed to perform experiments with laboratory animals? EU directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes requires that all personnel (researchers, students and animal technicians) who work with laboratory animals must have undergone adequate training, more information under Education in laboratory animal science.