As a university with a strong focus on research, FAU is also reliant on research involving animal experimentation. This means that animal experiments are carried out and animals are kept at FAU for this purpose. This page gives information and details of our offices providing advice on animal welfare, animal experimentation and laboratory animal facilities.

Guiding principles on animal experimentation in biomedical research at FAU and UKER

• FAU and UKER recognize the need for animal experimentation for the purposes of biomedical research.Animal experimentation contributes to many findings in fundamental biological and (patho)physiological research and paves the way for modern medicine which includes advanced treatments for many medical conditions.
• At FAU and UKER, animal experiments are only ever used in research if this is absolutely necessary and the expected scientific findings justify the stress placed on the animals involved.
• The goal of achieving the highest possible level of scientific validity and reproducibility while taking animal welfare measures into account forms the basis for planning every experiment involving animals at FAU and UKER.The 3R principle (replace, reduce, refine) is a fundamental ethical guiding principle for animal experimentation in research at FAU and UKER. Research involving animal experimentation is only ever used to answer scientific questions if there are no alternatives that are less stressful that provide equivalent results.
• FAU and UKER pledge to meet all the recommendations for communication and action of the Basel Declaration, the Alliance of Science Organizations in Germany (“Transparency in Animal Experimentation” and “Understanding Animal Experimentation”) as well as the German Research Foundation (DFG) (“Position paper on securing efficient biomedical research while maintaining the highest animal welfare standards”).
• FAU advocates a broad debate on the issue of animal experimentation and takes criticism on the part of representatives of animal ethics and differing opinions regarding animal protection seriously.

Transparent Animal Testing Initiative

We are one of the first to commit to the Transparent Animal Testing Initiative. This means that we are transparent and open about this sensitive and controversial issue and seek to inform about experiments involving animals.

Articles on research areas involving animal experimentation

Blog articles

Animal welfare committee

The animal welfare committee of FAU and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen support the animal welfare officers with their work for increasing animal welfare in research involving animal experimentation.

The committee has an advisory function across the University for determining and checking internal processes with the aim of implementing the “3R principle”.

In addition it serves as a point of contact for all those at FAU and UKER who work in research involving animal experimentation. In particular, it provides advice on questions regarding animal husbandry as well as on general topics regarding laboratory animals.

The committee comprises the following members:

• Animal facility managers pursuant to Section 11 Animal Protection Act, TierSchG
• Researchers conducting experiments on animals
• FAU Animal Welfare Officer

Contact

Click on the tabs for details on how to contact the animal welfare committee and information on the various working groups.

Animal Welfare Officer and Animal Welfare Office

The Animal Welfare Officer supports and advises the Executive Board and all organizational units at the University and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen on matters concerning animal welfare, animal experimentation and the keeping of laboratory animals.

The tasks of the Animal Welfare Officer are regulated in the German Animal Welfare Act (TSchG). The Animal Welfare Officer provides advice on the following topics:

• Applications for approval for experiments involving animals
• Planning and selecting animal models
• Assessment of stress

Further information such as flyers, forms and general information as well as information about training is available on the Animal Protection unit website.

Animal husbandry

Key aspects of animal husbandry at FAU are

• Ensuring laboratory animals are kept in a responsible and ethical manner,
• Optimizing and standardizing processes in animal care,
• Implementing modern quality assurance methods,
• Providing continuous training for research staff and technicians.

The two main centers, the Biotechnical Development Laboratory and the Preclinical Experimental Animal Center, which can be regarded as the cornerstones of the Erlangen-wide alliance (eFPZ) and in which up to 20 further smaller animal centers are located, all provide state-of-the art facilities in keeping with animal welfare standards.