Institute of Membrane and Systems Biology Institute of Membrane and Systems Biology
FACULTY FACULTYOF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Evaluating the provision of training in invivo sciences within UK Bioscience undergraduate degree programmes
Dave Lewis
IMSB & IDEA CETL
Terry McAndrew
IMSB & Centre for Bioscience
Aims of the project
• Survey extent of provision of training in in-vivo sciences in UK Universities
• Identify gaps in provision
• Gather and publish best practice/teaching materials
• Improve training improve animal welfare
UK law governing animal experimentation
Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 • “Protected animal” - vertebrates • Home Office licences
Personal licence (PIL)
Project licence (PPL) Certificate of designation • Home Office modules 1-5 • In-vitro experiments- Schedule 1 culling
What training should we be providing?
What do employers want?
• • • • • • • • • • • • • Animal (Sci. Proc.) Act Knowledge & understanding 3Rs Animal handling Experimental design Statistical design Animal models of disease Animal welfare Recognition of normal / ill-health Ethical review processes Harm / benefit analysis Arguments for & against Science and society training Alternatives
Determining the extent of provision of training in in-vivo sciences & gathering best practice
• On-line questionnaires
• Expansion of remit – other disciplines & Industry • Distribution • Undergraduate survey
Key questions regarding undergraduate training in in-vivo sciences
•
• • • • •
Do we provide any training for students who use isolated tissues/cadavers?
What training is provided for PIL holders in addition to HO modules 1-3? Do any students receive “Science and Society” training? What training do Staff think should be provided? Examples of best practice and/or teaching materials Are there any gaps in provision and/or lack of suitable teaching materials?
The survey
Degree programmes & licences
A
Biomed Sci Biomed Sci Neurosci Neurosci Pharmacol Pharmacol Physiol Physiol Psychol Psychol Joint Hons Joint Hons
Other Other 0 5 10 15 20 25
3 8 10 12 13 27 19
B
Educational PPL
Student PIL Assistant (ASPA) Tissue provided None of above
0 25
percentage of courses
24 11 17 44 28 50
30
number of courses
Student use of animals and animal tissue
other (53) invertebrate (33) human cell culture (15) none of these (29) whole animal (PIL) (9) vertebrate cell culture (36) whole animal (DA) (16) non-recovery anaesth (5)
isolated tissues (42) cadavors (40)
freely moving (31)
Training provided for Undergraduates
100 Tissue supplied PIL Holder 75
% provision
50
25
0
An Sc 3R h im s 1 al (S ci Pr oc )A ct
Ex No St Di An Et Ha De Al se te at hi pt rm im rm ba ca rn sd as de al al te /b at lr e es /ill s ig en we iv e an ev m ign he ef n ie lfa im s od it a al w re al el th na s ex lys pt s is
Current provision versus staff expectations
A
% provision
100
Tissue supplied PIL Holder
75
50
25
0
An im
al (
Sc h Sc i
1
3R s
Pr oc )A
ct
St Ha Ex Di An No Et De Al at ter se h ic pt rm im rm ba sd as na al de al /b te al/ es e t iv en re we s ig ill an mo ign v ie es ef he lf a im n it a de w a lt re al ls na h ex lys pt s is
B
strongly agree
Non PIL Holder
agree
PIL Holder
neutral
Kn ow Ob Be Re Arg Dis Kn Kn Ex st ow co pt/ ser ow cu um pra gn s ta ss s led led led ve en is e c tic ge dS tis t ed ge ge ts f pa ic a e in of ch et h o r/ of of i n/ ld ed alte an AS 3R ic a an su esi ti a 1 PA s rna l im ffe ima gn ni m rin t ive pli c lw g al s at i elfa exp on re s ts
disagree
strongly disagree
Increased ethical awareness & knowledge of ethics/law for students who use animal tissues
• • • Aim: To enable students to make an informed decision on the use of animals in research Format: Short presentations followed by roundtable discussion Presentations: Role play, delivered from perspective of antivivisectionist, reductionist, patient/clinician or scientist Provides background knowledge • Roundtable discussion Covers ethics, law & compliance, alternatives, “Science and Society” Enables students to consider/confront their own viewpoints
“Science and Society” Training
Debating the arguments for & against animal expts
• Aims: Training in debating animal experimentation Consider alternatives to animal use • Role play: 4 groups anti-vivisectionist, reductionist, patient/clinician or scientist • 10 minute presentation
• Debate- 15 min defending their “cause” in response to questions from opposing groups
• Blog personal reflections after the teaching session “Before, if offered the choice between a computer and a mouse disease model, I'd gone for the animal method straight away. Computer modeling was something a bit geeky - not for 'proper' scientists. I am now slightly ashamed of this narrowminded view and am much more open to at least trying alternative methodologies.”
Ethics in dissertations
• Direct ethical issues and wider social implications • VLE discussion forums for collaborative learning
Acknowledgements
British Pharmacological Society Physiological Society Institute of Biology Heads of University Biological Sciences (HUBS) HEA Centre for Bioscience HEA Psychology Subject Centre British Neuroscience Association Society for Experimental Biology British Psychological Society