Master of Lab Animal Science
Courses
MLAS 500S Animal Nutrition 3.0 Credits
This course will provide an overview of the basic principles of animal nutrition including nutrition concepts and related historical/current research. Upon completion, each student should understand the digestion, absorption and metabolism of the various food nutrients, characteristics of the nutrients, measurement of body needs, and ration formulation.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
MLAS 501S Laboratory Animal Seminar 2.0 Credits
This course is open to second year MLAS students. The seminar allows students to network with other laboratory animal professionals in preparation for their career in the field. Each week, a different guest speaker will present information about state-of-the art equipment, animals and techniques.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
MLAS 502S Occupational Safety and Health in Laboratory Animal Care and Use Programs 3.0 Credits
The role of an occupational safety and health program is to recognize health risks and hazards associated with the care and use of research animals. The goal of this course is to assist the laboratory facility manager and/or supervisor with the development or re-evaluation the occupational safety and health program within their individual animal care and use program.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
MLAS 503S The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee’s (IACUC) Role in Animal Research 3.0 Credits
The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is responsible for overseeing and evaluating all aspects of an animal care and use program. This course will introduce students to the origin, authority, membership, and functions of the IACUC. Specific functions such as: oversight, review of animal use proposals, animal care and use concerns, and record keeping will be addressed.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
MLAS 504S Public Outreach for Animal Research 3.0 Credits
This course will provide a solid foundation about animal research and its role in producing new knowledge and discoveries that benefit the public, other animals, and the environment. Students will learn about the range of outreach tools and techniques for engagement with the broader public, including how to speak about the important role they play in the laboratory animal environment.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 2 times for 9 credits
MLAS 507S LAT Certification Prep 2.0 Credits
This course will prepare the student to sit for the AALAS LAT certification exam. The AALAS Technician Certification Program sets professional standards for the advancement of laboratory animal science. The program was developed to recognize professional achievement and provide an authoritative endorsement of a technician’s level of competence in laboratory animal technology.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
MLAS 508S LATG Certification Prep 2.0 Credits
This course will prepare the student to sit for the AALAS LATG certification exam. The AALAS Technician Certification Program sets professional standards for the advancement of laboratory animal science. The program was developed to recognize professional achievement and provide an authoritative endorsement of a technician’s level of competence in laboratory animal technology.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
MLAS 510S Clinical Orientation In Laboratory Animal Facilities 1.0 Credit
Two hours per week of hands-on experience working in the university's laboratory animal facilities. Students do most of the daily work performed by the animal technicians, such as cage washing, placing animals into new cages, environmental sanitation, treatments (if necessary), tuberculosis testing of primates and the like. Species usually housed include rats, mice, rabbits, guinea pigs, dogs, cats, primates, swine, etc. The goal of the course is to provide the necessary skills and exposure to allow students to become familiar with many of the examples that will be used in later courses by their instructors. It also provides an introduction to the Practicum experience of the second year.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is LAS.
MLAS 514S Hematopoiesis (Upenn) 1.5 Credit
Lecture at the University of Pennsylvania veterinary school. Correlates clinical and basic science in comparative hematology. Recent developments in clinical medicine and basic research of disorders of blood cells. A paper on a hematology topic makes up part of the grade.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is LAS.
MLAS 520S Financial Mgmt In Lab Anim Sci 3.0 Credits
Animal facility managers and veterinarians must understand more about financial management than they realize. It is not unusual for budgets and cost-accounting methods to be poorly understood, and therefore left to others. The manager is at the mercy of somebody else's numbers, yet he or she may be held responsible for hundreds of thousands of dollars.. The instructor, an animal facility manager with an M.B.A. degree, gives a strong background in many aspects of financial management, not just those that are core to animal facility and veterinary practice management.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is LAS.
MLAS 521S Arch Eng & Plan For Anim Fac 4.0 Credits
The course of instruction, presented by one of the nations leading architectural and engineering firms, encompasses general design considerations, working with architects and engineers, reading and producing drawings, proximity considerations, control systems, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, etc. The goal is to give the student a unique background, not only in facility design and engineering, but also in understanding why things are the way they are. Students are expected to develop and present a floor plan.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
MLAS 523S Organizational Management 3.0 Credits
Organizational management provides the theoretical background necessary for the practical application of managerial skills especially in laboratory animal facilities.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
MLAS 525S Animal Anatomy 2.0 Credits
An introductory independent study course that will provide a background in gross animal anatomy. Students will learn comparative anatomy by comparing the anatomical structures in several species of laboratory animals using synthetic models.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is LAS.
MLAS 529S Molecular Genetics 3.0 Credits
The focus of this course is to expose students to "cutting edge" molecular genetic concepts as they apply to laboratory animal science. The course provides a description of DNA structure, an overview of its replication and function in gene expression, an overview of the structure and function of nuclei & chromosomes, a sampling of tools used for genome analysis and a sampling of the basic techniques used in a molecular genetics laboratory. Various genome-sequencing projects are discussed along with the information they provide about the organization of a complex genome.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
MLAS 530S Biostats In Vet Science 3.0 Credits
This course will cover biostatistical methods and principles and their application in the field of veterinary science-both in clinical setting and in research. The application of biostatistics in veterinary epidemiology will also be discussed.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
MLAS 531S Embryology 3.0 Credits
Embryology is the study of anatomy from the time of fertilization through the time of birth. The course discusses the "hows" and in part the "whys" concerning the development of the morphology and structure of the body. Knowledge of embryology is essential for understanding gross anatomy and the developments of birth defects.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
MLAS 535S Biology & Care Of Lab Animals 4.0 Credits
Many specialists in laboratory animal science teach this course. Part of this course is devoted to discussions of the ethics of using animals in biomedical research. The remainder of this team taught course discusses the care, use and husbandry of rodents, lagomorphs, primates, farm animals, carnivores, etc., as well as presentations on sanitation and other pertinent subjects. The primary goal is to provide the student with the information needed to properly care for the physical and psychological needs of laboratory animals.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: MLAS 510S
MLAS 536S Animal Models for Biomedical Research 1.0 Credit
In this course university investigators will discuss their research using animal models, emphasizing why they chose the animal model they are using and how the model helps them understand basic biological processes. Grading is based on a single term paper.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is LAS.
MLAS 545S Fundamentals of Histology 3.0 Credits
This course is a survey of the basic tissues of the body with an emphasis on the structure of normal cells, their specializations and methods of acting together to form tissues and organs. The normal structure-function relationships at the subcellular, cellular and tissue levels are emphasized. This course provides students with a framework for recognizing and interpreting the changes seen in disease states.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
MLAS 546S Special Topics in Anatomy 4.0 Credits
Cross listed course given concurrently with students from other programs. This course is mostly human oriented. MLAS students who have gone on to veterinary school have commented on how valuable it was. It provides a systemic review of the entire body. Human prosections are included in the course work.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is LAS.
MLAS 606S Clinical Laboratory Techniques and Concepts 1.0 Credit
Hands-on and theoretical laboratory work. Teaches animal handling and injections, serological testing, microbiology techniques, hematology and urinalysis. There is an emphasis on correct specimen handling and preparation as part of a quality control program. Your instructors will expect you to do independent reading and be able to extrapolate your knowledge to various case reports.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is LAS.
MLAS 610S Diseases of Laboratory Animals 3.0 Credits
Reviews the major diseases of laboratory animals, and provides information on surgery, anesthesia and radiology. Unlike clinical veterinary medicine where a common objective is to make a sick animal healthy, in laboratory animal medicine the objective is to prevent a healthy animal from becoming sick. The goal of the course is to have the student understand means of disease prevention and recognition. This course will be taught, as much as possible, in a modified problem based learning format.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is LAS.
MLAS 800S Registered for Degree 0.0 Credits
College/Department: COM School of Biomedical Sciences & Professional Studies
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
MLAS 801S Laboratory Animal Practicum 12.0 Credits
The practical application of what was learned in class. The entire final MLAS semester is spent in one of many animal facilities in the Philadelphia area or around the nation. To the extent possible, time is divided between basic animal care, management, laboratory techniques, and research. S/U grading.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
MLAS I599S Independent Study in Master of Laboratory Animal Science 0.0-12.0 Credits
Self-directed within the area of study requiring intermittent consultation with a designated instructor.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 0 times for NaN credits
MLAS T580S Special Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 0.0-12.0 Credits
Topics decided upon by faculty will vary within the area of study.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
MLAS T680S Special Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 0.0-12.0 Credits
Topics decided upon by faculty will vary within the area of study.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
MLAS T780S Special Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 0.0-12.0 Credits
Topics decided upon by faculty will vary within the area of study.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
MLAS T880S Special Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 0.0-12.0 Credits
Topics decided upon by faculty will vary within the area of study.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
MLAS T980S Special Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 0.0-12.0 Credits
Topics decided upon by faculty will vary within the area of study.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit