ACADEMY
The Göttingen Minipigs Academy facilitates seminars, workshops, and webinars around Göttingen Minipigs, designed for those working within the life sciences industry.
Göttingen Minipigs Academy
About the courses
All courses are booked on demand, so the contents can be costumised according to the participants' level of knowledge and experience. Courses can be scheduled as personal or team sessions, and you can combine more courses in an individualised, consecutive structure.
Courses target a diverse audience and are carefully selected to accommodate the needs of industry-specific jobs. Yet, anyone with an interest in Göttingen Minipigs in biomedical research can benefit from the courses.
Who can join?
Courses are recommended for:
- Animal Technicians
- Animal Caretakers
- Laboratory Technicians
- Veterinarians
- Researchers
- Scientists
- Study Directors
- Sponsor Monitors
- Surgical Staff
The Academy offers expert-led courses developed and conducted by experienced professionals. It covers various aspects of working with Göttingen Minipigs, for example, their biology and behaviour, husbandry, veterinary management and welfare, hands-on practical exercises, and animal models.
Courses on demand:
Veterinary Management, Welfare & Culture of Care
Duration 6 hours
Participants Veterinarians, Animal Caretakers, Laboratory Technicians
Location Copenhagen or Dalmose, Denmark
In this advanced learner’s course, we will go into detail with animal welfare aspects tailored to fit the specific needs of Göttingen Minipigs, incl. valuable acclimatisation, socialisation, and thorough behavioural management programs addressing various enrichment elements, etc. We will discuss the importance of working with a Culture of Care and suggestions on how to promote it. We will look at clinical issues you might encounter in Göttingen Minipigs and suggested treatment protocols. You will learn to maintain healthy minipigs, including setting up effective biosecurity measures and performing adequate health monitoring.
You will learn:
- Göttingen Minipigs biology and behaviour
- Animal welfare incl. acclimatisation, socialization, behavioral management programs, enrichment elements, etc.
- Culture of Care and how to promote it
- Clinical issues and treatment protocols
- How to maintain healthy Göttingen Minipigs, effective biosecurity measures, and adequate health monitoring
Handling & Dosing
Duration 6 hours
Participants Veterinarians, Animal Caretakers, Laboratory Technicians
Location Dalmose, Denmark
In this practical course, you get to work on your technique and train in various procedures. Learn to understand the behaviour of Göttingen Minipigs, the importance of socialisation and training, and an introduction to how to create an enriched habitat that supports the biological needs of Göttingen Minipigs. Engage in hands-on learning as you approach, lift, and carry the minipigs under supervision. Try various restraint and dosing techniques, and discover the practicality of slings when performing blood sampling. You will also learn about humane euthanasia in the course. Depending on your experience level, we can go through more specific training, such as endotracheal intubation and catheterisation methods for vascular access.
You will learn:
- Behaviour of Göttingen Minipigs, socialisation, and training (theory)
- How to handle the minipigs physically (practice)
- Blood sampling, restraint, and dosing techniques (practice)
- Humane euthanasia (practice)
- Endotracheal intubation and catheterisation methods for vascular access (experienced course participants)
Anaesthesia & Analgesia
Duration 3 hours
Participants Veterinarians, Animal Caretakers, Laboratory Technicians, Surgical Staff
Location Copenhagen or Dalmose, Denmark
This course is well suited for beginners, but more experienced participants may also appreciate the explained aspects of the anaesthesia for Göttingen Minipigs. This theoretical course is usually conducted as a 3-hour course with physical attendance.
You will learn:
- Göttingen Minipigs anatomy and characteristics for anaesthesia
- Basic physiology for anaesthetics
- Pharmacology of the most used drugs
- Protocol design and what we wish to achieve with it
- How to monitor vital parameters, manage ventilation and fluid balance
- Equipment and methods for administering anaesthetic compounds, as well as explain their advantages and limitations
- Emergency handling and acute treatment procedures
Vascular Access
Duration 6 hours
Participants Laboratory Technicians, Veterinarians, Animal Caretakers, Scientists
Location Dalmose, Denmark
(Mini)pig vascular access can be challenging due to the lack of superficial veins. Göttingen Minipigs are no exception, and careful consideration has to be given already during the design process of the study. In this practical course, we will present the possibilities and tools that can be applied to make the study successful. The overall outcome is that you learn to surgically implant jugular catheters, first demonstrated by one of our surgeons, and afterward on your own.
You will learn:
- Blood sampling from sling and catheters
- Establishing IV access
- Placement of peripheral catheters
- Endotracheal intubation
- Surgical implantation of jugular catheters
