The Section for Comparative Medicine (KPM) is one of Norway’s largest laboratory animal facilities, providing in vivo and in vitro animal model research services.
KPM undertakes to ensure
- Good animal welfare in compliance with national and international regulations
- Good research ethics in compliance with current norms
- A high quality of research
For researchers affiliated to UiO
Services offered
KPM has 4,000 square meters of modern facilities for housing animals and laboratory research and offers the following services:
Service
- Guided tour of the unit and the training of new users
- Ordering and importation of animals from authorised and non-authorised suppliers
- Exportation of animals to destinations in Norway and abroad
- Importation of biological material
- Ordering of drugs for use during experiments
- Technical assistance within the framework of approved projects (injections, interventions, anaesthesia, pain management)
- Preparing animals for aseptic surgery
- Taking samples for microbiological investigations
- ID marking and taking biopsies
- Breeding work (selection, plug check, control)
- Advanced techniques for the sterilisation of equipment
- Guidance on the use of cytostatics and other toxic substances
- Work with radioactive isotopes
- Guidance on the handling of hazardous waste
Pathogen control
- KPM offers pathogen-controlled areas at all levels (SOPF, SPF, MDU, KONV), with modern IVC housing systems
Highly qualified personnel
- Colony management by personnel trained at The Jackson Laboratory in USA
- Assistance with study design by Norway’s only LabVet Europe certified specialist
- Guidance and support on applications to FOTS (The Norwegian Food Safety Authority’s application system for the use and control of experimental animals)
- Samples (blood, organ harvesting) carried out by experienced animal technicians
- Substance application (IV injections, subcutaneous injections etc)
- Anaesthesia and operations (for example sedation, performing caesarean sections)
For commissioned projects, users benefit from the expertise of our entire team of skilled professionals.
ICT services tailored to your needs
- Our Colony Management Database is continually being upgraded in collaboration with the developer and can be adapted to the needs of the user
- Documentation and communication regarding breeding plans, births, terminations and the use of animals in connection with individual laboratory animal experiment approvals (FOTS-ID)
- Remote desktop function allows researchers to monitor their animal population, order services and request the collection of data by the KPM team
The Norwegian Transgenic Center (NTS)
The Norwegian Transgenic Center (NTS) core facility, funded by the South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority, offers in-house services to KPM users.
- DNA analysis (genotyping), fully integrated with KPM’s workflow and 100% compatible with the medical records system: with just one click, the user can receive the genotype in their inbox (processing time is approximately 4 working days).