13:30–15:00

SITE VISIT to Zebra Fish & Drosophila units at Tampere University (departure from Tampere Hall at 12:45)

14:00–15:30

Workshop 1, Riffi:
Score sheets as a tool in pain assessment (Jussi Helppi, Hanna-Marja Voipio)

16:00–17:30

Workshop 2, Riffi:
Improve your refinement skills in a case lab (Anna Meller, Karoliina Alm)

9:15–10:00

Karl Johan Öbrink memorial lecture
Chair: Siri Knudsen (Norwegian University of Life Sciences)

Hannes Lohi (University of Helsinki):
Hunting new genes and mechanisms of human disease with the help of man’s best friends – dogs and cats

10:00–10:30

 Chair: Sakari Laaksonen (University of Oulu)

Henna-Kaisa Wigren (University of Helsinki): 
Considering species-specific sleep-wake patterns in research: from cells to social structure 

11:00–12:30

Aging and Laboratory Animals

Chair: Erika Roman (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences) 

 11:00

Jukka Jolkkonen (University of Eastern Finland):
Aging rodents in stroke research

 11:30

Sira Karvinen (University of Jyväskylä): 
Can we tackle the adverse health effects of hormonal aging with animal models?

 12:00

Emrah Yatkin (University of Turku): 
Health notification system as a tool to record and identify health issues in a rodent facility

 12:20

General Discussion 

Optimizing handling and environment
Chair: Otto Kalliokoski (University of Copenhagen)

 11:00

Anna Meller (University of Helsinki): 
Optimizing the refinement tools, housing, and handling of laboratory rats – search for a harmonized solution

 11:30

Vootele Voikar (University of Helsinki): 
Optimizing the housing conditions of laboratory mice - harmonizing biomedical research and animal welfare

 12:00

Talk sponsored by Scanbur:
Louise Piilgaard (University of Copenhagen):
The best of two worlds: Invasive and non-invasive approaches to unveil narcolepsy Type I in mouse models of narcolepsy  

11:15–11:45

Bob Davis (OPEND / Gruenberg Dry Heat Sterilizers):
Dry Heat Sterilization in vivariums – An alternative option for sterilization in the lab animal facility 

12:00–12:30

Adriaan Schmal (UNO BV): Inhalation Anaesthesia: Best practices for welfare and avoiding occupational risks

13:30–15:00

Using Zebrafish in biomedical research
Chair: Brian Mphande (University of Tampere)

 13:30

Jan Kaslin (University of Tampere & Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University):
Regrow with the flow: force and flow regulate neural progenitor quiescence following spinal cord injury 

 13:50

Maria Sundvik (University of Helsinki): 
Zebrafish as a model organism in behavioral neuroscience

 14:10

Ilkka Paatero (University of Turku): 
Zebrafish models for cardiovascular biology and intravital imaging

 14:30

Laura Oksa (University of Tampere): 
Modelling of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia in zebrafish

 14:50

General Discussion 

Scand-LAS Education and Training Committee: It’s all about training
Chair: Lene Gorm Pedersen (Roskilde Technical College, Denmark)

 13:30

Åsa Holmberg Wenell (Karolinska Institute): 
Practical training without and with animals - from dummies to live animals

 14:00

Stine Drent Larsen (Novo Nordisk):
Training of animals to participate and the construction of a training set up 

 14:30

Lene Gorm Pedersen (Roskilde Technical College, Denmark): Visitors program update 

 14:40

Poll & Discussion  

13:30–14:00

Georges Hasson (OPEND / SAFE):
Diets in protocols – key points to consider. Discussion about 2 possible drift sources: Phytoeostrogens and Mycotoxins 

14:30–15:00

Robin Labesse (OPEND / Allentown):
Improved and ergonomical rat handling 

16:30–18:00

Insights in wild animal research
Chair: Esa Koskela (University of Jyväskylä)

 16:30

Jenni Prokkola (Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)):
Wild fish as experimental animals: research and conservation viewpoints     

 16:55

Elmo Miettinen (Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)):
GPS-tracking of wild boar (Sus scrofa) – room for refinement?

 17:20

Liisa Hämäläinen (University of Jyväskylä):  
Using wild birds as model predators to study predator-prey coevolution

 17:45

Siri Knudsen (Norwegian University of Life Sciences):
Is the EC Educational and Training Framework adapted for wildlife researchers?  

Facility and quality management
Chair: Peter Bollen (University of Copenhagen)

 16:30

Emrah Yatkin (University of Turku):
Quality management systems and accreditation standards in laboratory animal research facilities

 17:00

Jussi Helppi (Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden):
Strategic quality assessment: A multi-level feedback system for improved management of animal facilities

 17:30

Jukka Puoliväli (Charles River Laboratories, Kuopio):
How to reduce cumulative suffering during the whole study cycle?

16:30–17:00

Peter Kesa (FujiFilm Visual Sonics):
Ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging forming the backbone for 3R 

9:00–9:45

 Chair: Hanna-Marja Voipio (University of Oulu)

Merja Voutilainen (University of Helsinki):
Novel approaches for treating neurodegenerative diseases

9:45–10:30

 Chair: Hanna-Marja Voipio (University of Oulu)

Axel K Hansen (University of Copenhagen):
The impact of the microbiome on animal models – an overview

11:00–12:30

Microbiome matters!
Chair: Axel K. Hansen (University of Copenhagen)

 11:00

Harri Alenius (University of Helsinki):
Microbe-host interactions in human diseases and their modeling in experimental animals

 11:30

Suvi Ruuskanen (University of Jyväskylä):
The role of the gut microbiome in temperature adaptations in birds

 12:00

Esa Koskela (University of Jyväskylä):
Does the biodiversity hypothesis matter for wildlife health? Exposure effects of urban and pristine forest soils on wild rodent microbiome  

Pain recognition and management
Chair: Klas Abelson (University of Copenhagen)

 11:00

Ann-Helena Hokkanen (University of Helsinki):
Understanding signs of pain in laboratory animals

 11:30

Niina Jalava (Orion Pharma):
Human pain mimicked through an animal pain-like responses?

 12:00

Sara Hestehave (University of Copenhagen):
Calling for early management of joint pain: Early weight bearing deficit in joint disease predicts hypersensitivity and comorbid depressive-like behavior in late disease stages 

 12:15

Harikrishnan Sreelatha (Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, India):
Analgesic treatment of rats subjected to spinal cord injury using conventional laminectomy: Effects on well-being and functional outcome  

11:00–12:00

Giorgio Rosati (Scanbur / Tecniplast):
Advancing vivarium efficiency and animal welfare through digitalization: A operational evaluation of the DVC® System 

13:30–15:00

Finnish 3R Centre
Chair: Adrian Smith (Norecopa)

 13:30

Vootele Voikar (University of Helsinki): 
Finnish 3R Center - finding place in national and international 3Rs landscape

 13:45

Dario Greco (University of Tampere):
Integrated approaches for chemical safety assessment and drug discovery

 14:15

Pirjo Laakkonen (University of Helsinki):
Peptide-based brain tumour targeting

 14:45

Sabine Bischoff (Jena University Hospital, Germany):
Reflection on critical incidents leads to a good error culture and strengthens the culture of care for animal and human wellbeing  

Health monitoring; do we still need animals?
Chair: Emrah Yatkin (University of Turku)

 13:30

Massimo Foa (IDEXX_BioAnalytics):
Sponsored by Idexx BioAnalytics
Microbiological monitoring of rodents: past, present and future

 14:15

Alistair Thompson (Surrey Diagnostics):
Sponsored by Surrey Diagnostics
New advances in laboratory animal health monitoring  

 14:35

Varpu Laine (University of Turku):
How we have changed from sentinel to sentinel-free health monitoring in Turku?

13:30–14:00

Urte Jaeh and Lars Friis Mikkelsen (Charles River):
Science & Care through the lens of the 4Rs 

14:30–15:00

Andy Dickinson (Envigo RMS B.V):
Health Monitoring – comparing apples with oranges 

16:00–17:30

Short communications from Abstracts
Chairs: Katarina Cvek (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences) & Sara Persson (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences)

 16:00

Jenny Berrio (University of Copenhagen):
Challenging the old ways: a call to rethink behavioral methods

 16:10

Fabienne Ferrera (ConScienceTrain):
Retention and job satisfaction in animal research – what can we learn for creating an institutional culture of care?  

 16:20

Maja Ramløse (Ellegaard Göttingen Minipigs A/S):
Social Housing of Göttingen Minipigs 

 16:30

Agathe Cambier (Etisense):
3Rs benefits for cardiorespiratory and activity monitoring in rats using jacketed external telemetry? – Review of evidence 

 16:40

Layung Wikanthi (AstraZeneca, Sweden):
Improved memory and lower stress levels in male mice co-housed with ovariectomized female mice  

 16:50

Gina Hyberg (AstraZeneca, Sweden):
Detection of male-mouse incompatibility in research studies using an automated in-home cage monitoring system (the TRACK-system) 

 17:00

Nadine Sündermann (ZOONLAB GmbH, Germany):
The iMouse System – A visual method for standardized digital data acquisition reduces severity levels in animal-based studies 

 17:10

Andrew Smith (Benchling):
Digital transformation: Connecting in vivo teams to the wider R&D ecosystem  

17:20 

General discussion 

Pandemics, Biosafety & Occupational Health
Chair: David Arney (Estonian University of Life Sciences)

 16:00

Laura Kakkola (University of Turku):
Zoonotic epidemics and pandemics: what, from where, and how to be prepared? 

 16:30

Tarja Sironen (University of Helsinki:
Animal models in response to COVID-19 and highly pathogenic avian influenza 

 17:00

Kirsi Aaltonen (University of Helsinki): 
Animal experiments in a bio safety level 3 laboratory – practice and occupational safety

9:00–9:45

 Chair: Pirjo Laakkonen (University of Helsinki)

Sarka Lehtonen (University of Eastern Finland):
Human cell-based models to study neurodegeneration

Engagement of animal technicians in research
Chair: Johanna Åhlgren (University of Helsinki)

 9:00

Hajnalka Nádai (Experimentica Ltd., Kuopio): 
The link between management, communication, culture of care and the individual through the eyes of the designated veterinarian

 9:20

Lauri Elsilä (University of Helsinki): 
Research form – a text-based communication channel supporting culture of care

 9:40

Varpu Laine (University of Turku):
Animal Welfare Body at the University of Turku, Central Animal Laboratory: effective communication through focus groups    

 10:00

Karoliina Alm (University of Helsinki):
Kick-off meetings a a tool to improve communication 

 10:20

General Discussion 

9:45–10:30

Chair: Pirjo Laakkonen (University of Helsinki)

Otto Kalliokoski (University of Copenhagen):
How common are fraudulent animal studies and how do they impact us?

10:50–11:35

 Chair: Vootele Voikar (University of Helsinki)

Stuart Peirson (University of Oxford):
The importance of light: From vision to circadian rhythms & sleep