LFKM10168 Design and Evaluation of Animal Experiments

Details
Responsible DepartmentDepartment of Basic Science and Environment

Earliest Possible YearPost experience Master´s Programme
DurationOutside schedule
 
Credits4 (ECTS)
 
Level of CoursePost experience masters programme
 
ExaminationFinal Examination

written examination


All aids allowed

Description of Examination: Individual report on a statistical project must be handed in one month after the week of teaching at LIFE.

Weight: Assessment of report 100%



7-point scale, internal examiner
 
Requirement for Attending ExamActive participation in discussions of assignments on the web
 
Organisation of Teaching45 hours e-learning with lectures and exercises, 4 days at LIFE with 10 hours of lectures and discussions, and 20 hours of exercises and project work. Afterwards 35 hours independent work with exam project.
 
Block PlacementOutside schedule
Week Structure: Outside schedule, Spring 2014
 
Language of InstructionEnglish
 
Course Content
Classical experimental design: parallel groups, block design, cross-over design; Principles of design: factors, replication, randomization and blocking.
Quantitative and categorical data types. Statistical methods: analysis of variance and t-tests, non-parametric alternatives, chi-squared tests, analysis of covariance and factorial models. Dose-response models and regression. Repeated measurements and random effect factors.
Power and precision of an experiment.
Lectures will use the statisticak program R, but the participant may use his/her favorite statistical software if it does not entail severe limitations.
 
Teaching and learning Methods
First period (from 4 weeks before gathering): e-learrning lectures and exercises based on (mostly) individual study. Second period (4 days gathered at LIFE): lectures and discussions, exercises and minor projects. Third period (the subsequent month): individual work with exam project.
 
Learning Outcome
The course reviews classical types of experimental design together with planning issues like appropriate number of animals related to precision and power, randomization and applicable design types. Most commonly used statistical methods in animal experiments and their pitfalls are presented. Major emphasis is on possibilities of increasing precision via both design and statistical analysis with the aim of minimizing the number of animals needed.

At the end of the course the participant should have learned to

Knowledge
-describe classical types of experimental design used in animal experiments
- recognize types of experiments and data calling for advanced statistical methods

Skills
- plan and substantiate the design of an animal experiment, including issues of randomization, precision and power,
- analyse prototypes of such experiments statistically

Competences
- assess the use of conventional statistical methods for analysis of common types of animal experiments,
- interpret and report results of statistical analyses in accordance with statistical thinking,
 
Course Literature
Festing MFW, Overend P, Das RG, Borja MC, Berdoy M: The Design of Animal experiments: reducing the use of animals in research through better experimental design, Laboratory Animals Handbooks No 14 2002

Morris, T.R. (1999). Experimental design and analysis in animal sciences. CABI Pulishing.

Both are highly recommended, but none of them required.

The first is more verbal and focused, the second is more statistical.
 
Course Coordinator
Ib Skovgaard, ims@life.ku.dk, Department of Basic Sciences and Environment, Phone: 353-32340
 
Study Board
Study Committee V
 
Work Load
lectures10
theoretical exercises20
preparation45
project work25
examination10

110