Subject Coordinators: C. Stathopoulos (Professor), V. Tzounakas (Assistant Professor)

The purpose of this course subject entails the critical comprehension of topics regarding current biomedical research. In this context, postgraduate students ought to apprehend i) basic information and principles in relation to the utilization and care of laboratory animals as well as the quality of research, ii) the safe operation of a Biomedical Laboratory and the prerequisites that must be fulfilled for its safe operation, the protection of its personnel and its accreditation according to the current institutional framework and iii) a wide spectrum of cross-curricular research topics presented by acclaimed scientists from Greece and abroad as well as members of the Teaching and Research Staff of the University of Patras.

Course Content

This subject consists of three sections:

1^st Section

Section Supervisors: C. Mikelis, M. Denaxa

In this section postgraduate students are familiarized with ethical issues concerning the usage of small mammalian animals in research, comprehend the guidelines for the protection of animals used in research, handle laboratory animals (anesthesia, euthanasia), learn how to formulate a research protocol with experiments on animals, acquire a knowledge of the safety and healthcare rules in the animal model facility, understand the fundamental principles for the creation of transgenic animals, the basic methodologies for the identification of genetically modified animals as well as examples of animal disease models.

2^nd Section

Section Supervisors: V. Tzounakas, K. Nika

Postgraduate students learn:

• How to work in a research environment and use biological samples and chemical compounds safely, while ensuring the safety and integrity of the laboratory and all of its occupants.
• How to use radioactive compounds that are necessary for conducting experiments, defining their quantity and special activity among the internationally accepted safety levels.
• How to apply good practices for water and electrical energy usage and the use of chemical or biological materials, especially regarding the way of their disposal in the context of environmental safety.
• The ways of setting up and running a research laboratory, as well as the legislation that describes the relevant requirements and its safe operation.

3^rd Section

Section Supervisors: C. Stathopoulos, V. Stamatopoulou

Postgraduate students are exposed to research topics from different fields in Biomedical Sciences, presented by acclaimed scientists from Greece and abroad as well as members of the Teaching and Research Staff of the University of Patras.