Proceedings of A Joint FELASA/Scand-LAS Symposium 2010 Proceedings of New Paradigms in Laboratory Animal Science A Joint FELASA/Scand-LAS Symposium Helsinki, Finland 2010 Helsinki, Finland Proceedings of the Eleventh FELASA Symposium and the 40th Scand-LAS symposium 14 – 17 June 2010, Helsinki, Finland Published by FELASA, Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Association Also in: http://www.felasa.eu Editor-in-Chief: Eila Kaliste Layout: Timo Päivärinta, PSWFolders Oy, Vantaa, Finland Printed: Edita, Helsinki, Finland, 2011 Introduction to the Proceedings of the 11th FELASA Symposium. FELASA Past, Present and Future. Introduction The eleventh FELASA symposium ‘New Paradigms in Laboratory Animal Science’ was held on the 14th- 17th June 2010 in Helsinki, Finland. The symposium was organised as a joint meeting with Scand-LAS, celebrating its 40th anniversary year. The triennial FELASA symposium has grown to be the largest laboratory animal scientifi c conference in Europe, also facilitating other associations to organise some of their activities during the meeting days. We had a pleasure to host 1200 participants and exhibitors from altogether 42 countries. Almost 150 invited and free oral presentations contributed to the high quality scientifi c programme covering a wide range of topics in laboratory animal science and related disciplines. In nine workshops, the participants were able to interactively discuss the most current items in their fi eld. The scientifi c output was completed in a poster session with 170 posters. This proceedings book continues the series of the FELASA symposium proceedings. The proceedings book aims to be both a take-home-message to the participants, but also an opportunity for the speakers to present their work to wider scientifi c community. With the four themes, the book gives a representative overview of the scientifi c contents of the meeting, highlighted with the paper by FELASA award-winning professor Michael Festing. The funding by Laboratory Animals Limited has been substantial in realising this proceedings book. The editors Eila Kaliste and Johanneke van der Harst; designer Timo Päivärinta for the lay-out and Penny Alborough for checking the language are all cordially thanked for their excellent and hard work in fi nalising the manuscripts into a form of the book. Hanna-Marja Voipio Chair of the Organising Committee President of Scand-LAS FELASA Past and Present Being the FELASA President at the time of the eleventh FELASA Symposium was one of the most extraordinary experiences I have ever had. Sometimes in the public appearances, sometimes hidden among the hundreds of delegates, I could observe the force of laboratory animal science professionals from all around the world. A force transformed in over 300 pieces of scientifi c work in the Symposium. Part of them will be available for ever in this Proceedings Book. After many years of experience in FELASA, I still cannot believe that events like this Symposium can be produced by an organisation such as FELASA that relies almost entirely on the voluntary work of the people appointed by its constituent associations. But this Proceedings Book is proof that Helsinki 2010 was not a dream and that laboratory animal science is a driving force that has no frontiers. FELASA is itself an international organisation that was created in 1978 by 3 national associations and is currently composed of 18 associations that represent several thousands professionals across Europe. The scientifi c work presented in Helsinki and published now in the Proceedings shows that the same principles and research interests are shared not only within Europe but also by the rest of the world. Special thanks to Prof. Timo Nevalainen, Chair of the Scientifi c Committee and also a former FELASA President who, as always, made everything work perfectly to produce a remarkable scientifi c programme for this Symposium. The FELASA Board of Management recently decided to replace the name of Symposium with Congress in order to better refl ect the importance and size of these scientifi c events. I wish that the spirit of Helsinki 2010 is kept and enhanced in next FELASA Congresses, but this is already refers to the future… Javier Guillen FELASA President 2009-2010 FELASA Present and Future I think that Hanna-Marja and Javier have already put into words many of my comments and recollections of the Symposium in Helsinki. This was probably my fourth attendance at a FELASA Symposium and each has surpassed the excellence of the previous one. Whether measured in terms of the quality of the scientifi c presentations, posters, trade exhibition or general organisation of the event, each meeting has added a further improvement which seemed impossible at the outset. This challenge is now thrown open to the scientifi c and local organising committees of the Barcelona Congress being planned for 2013. Our expectations of SECAL and FELASA are even higher but I am confi dent we will be rewarded with an excellent scientifi c, trade and social programme. This triennial FELASA Congress is fi rmly established in the calendar of scientists involved in laboratory animal research both in Europe and beyond. Although by the time of our Barcelona Congress I will be your Immediate Past-President, I look forward to another successful meeting and the opportunity to renew old friendships and foster new ones. David Smith FELASA President 2011-2012 Education and training in Laboratory Animal Science and Welfare Laboratory Animals Ltd Laboratory Animals Ltd. is a limited company with charitable status. Its main aim is to promote education and training in laboratory animal science, technology and welfare. This is achieved primarily through publication of the journal Laboratory Animals, but a variety of other activities are supported, such as sponsoring speakers at scientifi c meetings, providing training grants for individuals wishing to develop their expertise and supporting the organisation of training courses in laboratory animal science and welfare. Funding has been provided to pprojects such as a course in statistics and experimental design by FRAME, working groups of FELASA, and translations of FELASA working group reports into other languages including Spanish and Russian. Bursaries have been given to individuals from a variety of countries e.g. Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Kenya, India, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Cuba, and Mexico for participation in university courses in Laboratory Animal Science in Utrecht, Copenhagen and Barcelona. Laboratory Animals Ltd. has sponsored the publication of these FELASA proceedings plus a number of speakers at the FELASA symposium June 2010. Our mission statement is as follows: “Laboratory Animals Limited is dedicated to the advancement of all aspects of laboratory animal science, technology and welfare, and we achieve this through supporting education and training in the fi eld. Animal experimentation must only be performed when considered absolutely necessary and all work must conform to the highest ethical standards. By supporting education and training in laboratory animal scienc, technology and welfare, where Reduction, Refi nement and Replacement (the 3Rs) are the central focus, the 3Rs will become a key part of research, leading to reduced numbers of animals being used and improvements in animal welfare, as well as better scientifi c results.” Laboratory Animals journal Laboratory Animals is the offi cial journal of the following organisations: FELASA, GV-Solas (Germany), ILAF (Israel), LASA (UK), NVP (Netherlands), SECAL (Spain), SGV (Switzerland), SPCAL (Portugal), ESLAV (European Society for Laboratory Animal Veterinarians), LAVA (Laboratory Animal Veterinary Association UK) and AFSTAL (France). A reciprocal membership arrangement for membership exists with AALAS (US). The Editorial Board of Laboratory Animals wishes to give especial encouragement to new scientifi c data in the fi eld of 3R alternatives. There is full on-line access available at no extra charge to subscribers. The journal is published by the Royal Society of Medicine (UK) and indexed/abstracted in the following: Index Medicus, ISI/BIOMED, Excerpta medica (EMBASE), Current contents, CABS (Current Awareness in Biological Sciences) and Chemical Abstracts. Open access publication is possible, which makes full text articles immediately available to everyone, thereby supporting the idea of the 3Rs. All individuals contributing to the Executive Committee, Council of Management and Editorial board are greatly acknowledged for their tremendous contributions to making our organisation work so succesfully throughout Europe and accross the World. Merel Ritskes-Hoitinga Chair FELASA Members Members of FELASA are laboratory animal science associations of nations and regions of Europe, members of the Council of Europe AFSTAL ILAF l’Association Française des Sciences et Techniques The Israeli laboratory Animal Forum de l’Animal de Laboratoire (affi liate member) AISAL LASA Associazione Italiana per le Scienze degli Animali Laboratory Animal Science Association da Laboratorio NVP ARSAL Nederlandse Vereniging voor Proefdierkunde Asociatia Romana pentru Stiinta Animalelor de Laborator LASA Turkey Laboratory Animal Science Association - Turkey Balt-LASA (observer) Baltic Laboratory Animal Science Association Scand-LAS BCLAS Scandinavian Society for Laboratory Animal Belgian Council for Laboratory Animal Science Science CLASA SECAL Czech Laboratory Animal Science Association Sociedad Española para las Ciencias del