The Laboratory Animal Centre (LAC) of the University of Helsinki is a common service institute of the University’s Faculties and independent institutions, and its duties are:
- Produce and provide laboratory animals for research and training
- Assist researchers to plan and carry out animal experiments
- Follow and enforce the development of the national and international legislation and guidelines of the laboratory animal science and instruct researcher communities to attend them
- Look after that the ethical principles of the laboratory animal science are fulfilled at the University of Helsinki
- Get acquainted with the methods of the laboratory animal production and care, follow the development of the laboratory animal science, and contribute the co-operation with other laboratory animal institutions in Finland and abroad
- Contribute co-operation with the economic life and establish research contracts and standing orders concerning the laboratory animal use
- Provide professional up-dating and post-graduate education in laboratory animal science
- Instruct and make statements and research assistance concerning laboratory animal use
LAC has facilities in Viikki (in F-building, Biocenter 3 and Lagre Animal Unit) and in Meilahti (Biomedicum). In its units, LAC provides appropriate animal facilities for mice, rats, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, sheep, swine, poultry, cats and dogs.
