Finnish Centre for Laboratory Animal Pathology (FCLAP)

FCLAP AIMS

• Foster interdisciplinary research for optimal use of laboratory/experimental animal
• Provide veterinary pathology expertise for research projects involving animal work
• Provide a timely and cost-effective technical service and expertise in laboratory/experimental animal morphology and pathology
• Train researchers and veterinary pathologists in laboratory/experimental animal pathology

TRAINING COURSES

“Laboratory Animal Necropsy or: How to get the most out of your mouse or rat?”

• February 2011,  April 2011, May 2013, May 2016
• Course Leader: Giovanni Pellegrini

NOVA course: “Experimental and laboratory animal pathology”
September 2013

• Course Leader: Anja Kipar
• Teachers: Cory Brayton, Raoul Kuiper, Björn Rozell, James P Stewart and Pernilla Syrjä

Further courses planned: spring 2018
For further information, please contact Jere Lindén (jere.linden@helsinki.fi).

POSTGRADUATE TRAINING OF VETERINARY PATHOLOGISTS

Laboratory animal experience through FCLAP research projects (supervised by Jere Lindén) and targeted training courses in laboratory/experimental animal pathology

“ECVP-registered residency training programme”

• A residency in preparation for the globally recognised certifying examination of the European College of Veterinary Pathologists (ECVP)
• Provided by Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (programme director: Pernilla Syrjä)

RATIONALE

The veterinary pathologists are happy to discuss any scientific project that would benefit from services provided by FCLAP.

• Do you currently undertake projects that could benefit from a more "holistic" approach?
• Are you planning animal experiments that could generate additional in situ or functional data of interest?
• Are you interested in project-applied phenotyping of your genetically modified mice?
• Are you facing unexpected deaths in your animal cohorts?
• Do you want to gain more knowledge on the pathogenic processes in a specific experimental setting? 

With "yes", we encourage you to contact us (in English or Finnish) directly to discuss ideas/projects and to obtain further information, via email: Jere Lindén (jere.linden@helsinki.fi).

Technical Services

• Trimming, processing and paraffin embedding of tissue specimens for histology, immunohistology (IH) and in situ hybridisation (ISH) 
• Preparation of stained sections (HE and a range of special stains)
• Preparation of unstained sections for IH and ISH 
• Immunohistology (leukocyte markers, range of specific markers)
• Preparation of frozen sections, subsequent staining and IH
• Preparation of cell pellets from tissue cultures (for light and electron microscopy, IH)
• Consultation and tutoring on histological tissue processing

Expert Pathology Services

• Assessment of morphological changes from a wide range of experiments
• Morphological assessment of organs in the development of new experimental protocols
• Necropsy and tissue/sample collection
• Evaluation of ISH
• Assistance with experimental design and morphological techniques

This service is provided with full charges for the pathologists' time; preliminary and short term guidance are free.

Collaborative Research 

• Involvement of pathologists in interdisciplinary research; experimental approach and protocols, histological assessment, interpretation, further studies etc. 
• Optimal use of experimental animals (3Rs)

Based on a collaborative research agreement, there will be reduced or no charging for the pathologists' time.

Technical and Pathology Services “Work Flow”

Clinical Chemistry Services

FCLAP works with the Veterinary Central Laboratory  which offers clinical chemistry tests on plasma, serum and/or urine samples.

For further information, please contact FCLAP or the Central Laboratory: el-labra@helsinki.fi.

SAMPLE SUBMISSION

For submission and enquiry, email fclap-info@helsinki.fi or phone 02941 57085.

To discuss research projects, contact Research Coordinator Jere Lindén (jere.linden(at)helsinki.fi, 050-448 0037).

SUBMISSION FORM 

See submission form for further instructions

CHARGES

SERVICES 

Submission of Carcases

Submission of Organ 

Submission of Paraffin Blocks or Slides

• Coordination and veterinary pathology services: Jere Lindén, jere.linden(at)helsinki.fi
• Histotechnology: Kati Holmsten, Krista Weber and Gareth Callan
• A collaborative network of veterinary pathologists with specific areas of expertise

FCLAP is managed by the Veterinary Pathology Unit. It functions in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Viikki Campus, EE Building, Agnes Sjöbergin katu 2.

Established by the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and the Laboratory Animal Centre, with financial support from "FinnMouse” (Biocenter Finland Model Organisms network)

CONTACT

Finnish Centre for Laboratory Animal Pathology
P.O. Box 66, Agnes Sjöbergin katu 2
00014 University of Helsinki

• Visiting address: EE building, Agnes Sjöbergin katu 2, 00790 Helsinki
• E-mail: fclap-info@helsinki.fi
• Phone: 02941 57085 (Histological laboratory)