Course syllabus for Toxicity testing

Toxicitetstestning

Specific entry requirements

Lowest the grade Pass at the courses Introduction to toxicology, Target organ toxicology, Health risk assessment of chemicals, Toxicokinetics, Biochemical and molecular toxicology, and Laboratory animal science in theory and practice within the Master's Programme in Toxicology.

Outcomes

The course intends to give the student knowledge of all parts at toxicity testing in vivo.

Upon completion of the course, the student should:

• have thorough knowledge about and in groups be able to plan a toxicity study in vivo in accordance with accepted and validated international guidelines and Good Laboratory Practice (GLP),
• be familiar with the principles of how animal test ethical review is being done with regard to toxicological testing,
• have knowledge about all parts included in toxicity studies in vivo, from handling of laboratory animals to compilation and statistical analysis of data, and observations and evaluation of results,
• know and independently be able to choose and use appropriate statistical methods for toxicity studies particularly of small groups of laboratory animals,
• have an understanding of the complexity of toxicology when assessing toxicity studies of chemical substances,
• demonstrate a professional and ethical attitude to carrying out toxicity studies in vivo,
• in groups be able to write a report of a toxicity study according to international guidelines and GLP.

Content

The course is divided into the following parts:

Toxicity testing, planning and performance, 3.0 credits

Grading scale: GU
Planning of a toxicity study in rodents in accordance with Good Laboratory Practise (GLP), international guidelines for standardised testing of chemicals (e g OECD-guideline) and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).

Toxicity testing, Reporting, 5.0 credits

Grading scale: GU
Compilation and evaluation of results. Report writing.

Statistics, 2.0 credits

Grading scale: GU
Probability theory, probability distributions, inference methods, confidence intervals, significance analysis, variance analysis, non-parametric methods, analysis of qualitative data, regression and correlation.

Integration of Toxicity Testing, 5.0 credits

Grading scale: GU
Integration of planning, performing, analysing and reporting a toxicity study in rodents according to GLP and international guidelines for standardised testing of chemical substances as well as according to present legislation regarding work with experimental animals.

Teaching methods

Lectures, problem-solving independently or in groups, seminars, group discussions, computer laborations and written presentation.

Examination

Statistics (2 credits). The examination consists of a written examination. Graded Fail/Pass.

Toxicity testing, planning and performing (3 credits). The examination consists of assessment of the student's achievements in the written SOP-reports that are written in groups. Graded Fail/Pass.

Toxicity testing, reporting (5 credits). The examination consists of a written report that is written in groups. Graded Fail/Pass.

Integration of toxicity testing (5 credits). The examinatione consists of a written exam. Graded Fail/Pass/Pass with distinction .

The final grade of the whole course is based on the grade of the part Integration of toxicity testing.

During the current semester, a regular examination session and one re-examination are given for each part. The re-examination can also be oral.

Compulsory participation
All practical parts, group exercises including presentations, and some lectures (indicated in the timetable) are compulsory. The course director assesses if and, in that case, how absence can be compensated. Before the student has participated in all compulsory parts or compensated absence in accordance with the course director's instructions, the student's results for respective part will not be registered in LADOK.

Limited number of examinations or practical training sessions:
Students who have not passed the regular examination are entitled to participate in five more examinations. If the student is not approved after four examinations, he/she is recommended to retake the course at the next regular course date, and may, after that, participate in two more examinations. If the student has failed six examinations/tests, no additional examination or new admission is provided.

The number of times that the student has participated in one and the same examination is regarded as an examination session. Submission of a blank examination is regarded as an examination. An examination for which the student has registered but not participated in, will not be counted as an examination session.

Transitional provisions

The course has been cancelled and was offered for the last time in the spring semester of 2014. Examination will be provided until the fall semester of 2024 for students who have not completed the course.

Other directives

The course language is English.

Course evaluation will be carried out in accordance with the guidelines established by the Board of Higher Education.

Oral evaluation in the form of course council meetings will be carried out during the course.

Literature and other teaching aids

Mandatory literature

• Handbook of laboratory animal science.: Essential principles and practices, Hau, Jann; Schapiro, Steven Jay, 3. ed. : Boca Raton : CRC Press, cop. 2011 - 723 s. ISBN: 978-1-4200-8455-9 (vol.1), LIBRIS-ID: 12096142, *
• Principles and methods of toxicology, Hayes, A. Wallace, 5. ed. : Philadelphia, Pa. : Taylor & Francis, 2008 - xxiii, 2270 s. ISBN: 0-8493-3778-X (ISBN 10), LIBRIS-ID: 10593922, *

Hand-outs and reports.