Experts

Ana Isabel Moura Santos

Physiologist, Assistant Professor and Vice-Dean at the NOVA Medical School, in Lisbon

Modules

Inspector (EU module 26)

Biography

Having a Biology degree and a PhD in Neurobiology has been teaching Physiology to Medical students at the NOVA Medical School of the NOVA University Lisbon since 1996. Started her research activities studying post-natal maturation of the central nervous system with animals models and has moved to the use of alternative methods for the study of ion channels expression during cell differentiation. Was Animal Facility Manager between 1999 and 2014 and Vice Dean of the NOVA Medical School between 2014 and 2021. Has been President of the Portuguese Laboratory Animal Sciences Association - SPCAL between 2010 and 2013. Has been Honorary Secretary of Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations - FELASA - from 2011 to 2017 and was FELASA President 2019-20. Served on the FELASA Accreditation Board for Education and Training as a full member from 2009 to 2018 where is an external expert since 2019. Is an AAALAC Ad Hoc expert since 2018. Committed with openness and transparency has been part of the core group that wrote the original LAS Transparency declaration in Portugal in 2017. Is a member of the Board of the European Animal Research Association since January 2022. Since 2004 has organized several Laboratory Animal Science (LAS) training courses in Portugal. Chaired international LAS Scientific Congresses in Portugal and has participated as a member of several Scientific and Organizing Committees of European LAS Congresses.

Ana Maria Valentim

Biologist and researcher at the i3S, whose main research interest is the refinement of procedures in laboratory animals

Modules

Basic and appropriate biology – species specific (zebra fish) (EU module 3.1)

Recognition of pain, suffering and distress – species specific (zebra fish) (EU module 5)

Biography

Dr. Ana Maria Valentim is a biologist and researcher at the i3S, whose main research interest is the refinement of procedures in laboratory animals, such as anaesthesia, as the proper use of anaesthesia and analgesia can in many cases effectively prevent distress or pain, which Dr. Valentim has been trained to identify in multiple species. Her research experience on behaviour and refinement of research protocols in zebrafish makes her a valuable asset for the development of these modules. She has been involved in training of laboratory animal science courses, and particularly species-specific modules on fish, having also produced e-learning contents for the i3S, as well as for other institutions.

Anna Olsson

IBMC-i3S Laboratory Animal Science group leader, with 20 years’ experience as a researcher in the fields of animal research ethics, 3Rs and animal welfare.

Modules

Ethics, Animal Welfare and the Three Rs level 1 (EU module 2)

Ethics, Animal Welfare and the Three Rs level 2 (EU module 9)

Biography

Dr. Anna Olsson is the IBMC-i3S Laboratory Animal Science group leader, with 20 years’ experience as a researcher in the fields of animal research ethics, 3Rs and animal welfare. She has published extensively on these topics, including as lead author of the chapter on animal research ethics in the leading textbook in Laboratory Animal Science published by CRC Press, as well as co-author of a book on animal research ethics published by Cambridge University Press. She has established and coordinates FELASA-accredited training for EU Functions A, B, and D, in a course that has trained over 700 scientists since its establishment in 2005.

Anne-Dominique Degryse

Award-winning specialist in laboratory animal medicine

Modules

Designated Veterinarian (EU module 24)

Biography

Dr. Anne-Dominique Degryse, DVM, is an award-winning specialist in laboratory animal medicine, being a Diplomate of ECLAM and Honorary Diplomate of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM). She was the first European nominated for the Council on Accreditation of AAALAC, a co-founder and president of ESLAV, as well as ECLAM president. She has been lecturing on the field of laboratory animal medicine since 1987, and has integrated several working groups on the topic. She was a main author of the ESLAV/ECLAM/LAVA/EVERI recommendations for the roles, responsibilities and training of the laboratory animal veterinarian and the designated veterinarian under Directive 2010/63/EU. She was the Project Leader for the ETPLAS Pilot Grant 'European Commission, DG Environment. Grant agreement No. 07.027741/2018/794340/SUB/ENV.B2/ Promoting alternatives to animal testing through accessible and harmonised education & training.

Dolores Bonaparte

Background in laboratory animal science and a broad understanding of animal health and welfare

Modules

Recognition of pain, suffering and distress – species specific (mouse) (EU module 5)

Recognition of pain, suffering and distress – species specific (rat) (EU module 5)

Biography

Dr. Dolores Bonaparte, DVM, has a diverse background in laboratory animal science and a broad understanding of animal health and welfare from the perspectives of the veterinarian, the vivarium manager and the researcher. She has a particular interest in refinement of animal care and use. She has collaborated in several international Working Groups, and is the convenor of the FELASA Core Trainers for Severity Assessment. Dr. Bonaparte has also extensive experience in designing and delivering training in several formats and for diverse audiences

Dorte Bratbo Sorensen

Veterinarian and Associate Professor of laboratory animal science at the University of Copenhagen

Modules

Recognition of pain, suffering and distress – species specific (mouse) (EU module 5)

Recognition of pain, suffering and distress – species specific (rat) (EU module 5)

Biography

Dr. Dorte Bratbo Sørensen is a veterinarian with a PhD in Ethology and Animal Welfare, and currently an Associate Professor of laboratory animal science at the University of Copenhagen. Her main research interest is laboratory animal welfare and behaviour, particularly on optimising how laboratory animals are housed, cared for and handled to minimize fear, stress and discomfort. She was a member of the EU Expert Working Group on Education and Training in LAS.

George Stilwell

Associate Professor and head of the Animal Behaviour and Welfare Research Lab, at the U. Lisbon Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

Modules

Basic and appropriate biology – species specific (farm animals) (EU module 3.1)

Recognition of pain, suffering and distress – species specific (farm animals) (EU module 5)

Biography

Dr. George Stilwell is an Associate Professor and head of the Animal Behaviour and Welfare Research Lab, at the U. Lisbon Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. He is an authorized trainer by the Welfare Quality Network and AWIN European Animal Welfare Indicators Project, for training certified external auditors of dairy cow farms, beef cattle, and small ruminants, as well as an EFSA-invited hearing-expert for most of its working groups on health and welfare of grazing animals. He is a partner on the EVIEDVET project for veterinary education, and a member of the Portuguese National Committee for the Protection of Animals Used for Scientific purposes.

Ivo Tiebosch - Utrecht

Biologist with a Msc in laboratory animal science

Modules

Competence assessor (a new module to be incorporated into the EU Education & Training Framework)

Biography

Ivo started off as a biologist and has been alternating between education and research, having taught at secondary school, followed by Faculty of veterinary Medicine. He did his PhD at the UMC Utrecht where he studied the effects on anti-inflammatory treatments on stroke outcome in animal models. After this he returned to education as a lecturer in (amongst other subjects) animal science at the Utrecht University of Applied science, where he trained animal technicians for over eight years, until he became a member of the Animal Welfare Body in Utrecht. Ivo is passionate about validity of measurements and has been astonished by the fact that so many researchers and teachers, take the risk of getting invalid measurements with major consequences. Hence Ivo has developed and given training on both examination and experimental design within life-long-learning programs. Ivo tries to use his experience in education and educational developments to improve the validity of measurements within (animal) science. Recently he has become board member of the Dutch Association for Laboratory Animal Science (DALAS) with a focus on training and education.

Javier Guillén

Veterinarian, whose work for AAALAC international is directly related to the evaluation and accreditation of animal care and use programs

Modules

Inspector (EU module 26)

Biography

Dr. Guillén is a Veterinarian, whose work for AAALAC international is directly related to the evaluation and accreditation of animal care and use programs, including all components that could be included in an inspection either by the competent authorities or the institutional oversight bodies. His employer, AAALAC International, has over 55 years of experience in performing evaluation site visits to institutions all around the world, including more than 120 in Europe. He also has published extensively on the topic of program quality assessment, ethics and legislation, having also participated in the European Commission Expert Working Group on Inspections.

José Manuel Sánchez Morgado

Veterinary specialist in Laboratory Animal Medicine with a research focus on microbiology and genetics in laboratory animals.

Modules

Basic and appropriate biology – species specific (farm animals) (EU module 3.1)

Recognition of pain, suffering and distress – species specific (farm animals) (EU module 5)

Biography

Dr José Manuel Sánchez Morgado is a European veterinary specialist in Laboratory Animal Medicine with a research focus on microbiology and genetics in laboratory animals. He has co-authored around 15 scientific articles in the field of laboratory animal medicine and microbiology, and published, as editor and author, the first book on reproducibility of animal research of a five-volume monograph on laboratory animal science and medicine. Since 2003, he teaches theoretical and practical courses on animal welfare, infectious diseases, and genetics in the field of laboratory animal science for scientists and animal technicians. He had managed a mini pig breeding herd homozygous for SLA (Swine Lymphocyte Antigen) and a Large White pig breeding herd for experimental purposes. He has run an ECLAM Laboratory Animal Medicine residency program, set up the ESLAV’s Summer School and Winter School programmes to train veterinarians in laboratory animal medicine, and the ESLAV’s webinar series as continuous professional development. He is also part of the Irish National Committee for the Protection of Animals Used for Scientific Purposes.

Lynne Sneddon

Senior lecturer at the University of Gothenburg

Modules

Basic and appropriate biology – species specific (zebra fish) (EU module 3.1)

Recognition of pain, suffering and distress – species specific (zebra fish) (EU module 5)

Biography

Dr Lynne Sneddon is senior lecturer at the University of Gothenburg. She has investigated the impact of poor welfare in aquatic animals since 1999, having been the first In 2002 to characterise nociceptors that detect painful stimuli on the head of a fish and have since investigated the capacity for pain, fear and stress to drive improvements in the welfare of fishes and other aquatic animals, having published prolifically in this field. Due to her expertise in pain assessment, anaesthesia and analgesia she has organised and participated in training workshops for technical staff, scientists and veterinarians across Europe, Brazil, China, and USA. The topics she has taught range from general animal welfare principles, improved husbandry approaches, anaesthesia and analgesia of fishes and the implications of pain in aquatic animals in industrial and scientific contexts. She is the Convenor of the FELASA Working Group on Pain Management in Zebrafish.

Maggie Lloyd

Modules

Designated Veterinarian (EU module 24)

Manuel Berdoy

Training Director at the University of Oxford, is a zoologist and recognised expert in rodent behaviour.

Modules

Basic and appropriate biology – species specific (mouse) (EU module 3.1)

Basic and appropriate biology – species specific (rat) (EU module 3.1)

Biography

Dr. Manuel Berdoy, Training Director at the University of Oxford, is a zoologist and recognised expert in rodent behaviour, and deeply interested in education, particularly in laboratory animal science. He is known for having produced award-winning and widely used educational resources (including documentaries and textbooks), some of which of great relevance to these modules, and has achieved worldwide recognition for his contribution to Laboratory Animal Science. He has been involved in LAS education at the international level, including as part of the EU Expert Working Group tasked with drafting the document on a common Education and Training framework to fulfil the requirements under 2010/63/EU.

Ngaire Dennisson

Modules

Designated Veterinarian (EU module 24)

Paulin Jirkof

3R Coordinator

Modules

Ethics, Animal Welfare and the Three Rs level 1 (EU module 2)

Ethics, Animal Welfare and the Three Rs level 2 (EU module 9)

Biography

Dr. Paulin Jirkof is a behavioural biologist with a research focus on animal welfare and refinement in laboratory animals. She co-authored around 50 scientific articles and expert recommendations in the field of animal welfare assessment and refinement of housing conditions and pain management. Since 2010 she teaches theoretical and practical courses on animal welfare and refinement in the field of laboratory animal science for scientists and animal caretakers. As 3R coordinator at the University of Zurich she has designed and is responsible for several lectures and workshops on ethics and 3Rs for Life Science PhD students, veterinary master students as well as for bachelor students of natural and social sciences as well as economics. She has designed an e-learning module on 3Rs for the Messerli Institute at Vienna university.

Rafael Frías

Veterinarian with an MSc in laboratory animal science and a doctorate in veterinary medicine

Modules

Competence assessor (a new module to be incorporated into the EU Education & Training Framework)

Biography

Dr. Frías is a veterinarian with an MSc in laboratory animal science and a doctorate in veterinary medicine. He is the Head of Education & Director of the Unit for Education and Training in Laboratory Animal Science, at the Karolinska Institutet, and the European Society of Laboratory Animals Veterinarians President-Elect. Among many other activities, he was a Member of the Working Group for Assessment of Practical Skills for the EU-funded ETPLAS Pilot Project.

Vootele Voikar

Medical doctor, researcher, and manager of the Mouse Behavioural Phenotyping Facility at the University of Helsinki

Modules

Basic and appropriate biology – species specific (mouse) (EU module 3.1)

Basic and appropriate biology – species specific (rat) (EU module 3.1)

Biography

Dr. Vootele Voikar is a medical doctor, researcher, and manager of the Mouse Behavioural Phenotyping Facility at the University of Helsinki, having 25 years expertise in working with rodent models. During the last 10 years he has been actively involved in teaching on the courses in behavioural neuroscience and laboratory animal science, and is currently involved in the ongoing project of digitization of LAS modules in Finland, having worked in this regard on modules 3.1, 10 and 11.