Laboratory Animal Unit (LAU)

The Laboratory Animal Unit (LAU) is a shared service platform that provides high-quality laboratory animals and oversees the care and management of animals used in research and teaching at Peking University People’s Hospital (PKUPH). All of LAU’s animal care and use programs are accredited by the Medical Ethics Committee (MEC) and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) of PKUPH.

The LAU staff is composed of laboratory animal caretakers, technicians, veterinarians, and researchers with specialized training and certifications in laboratory animal care, use, and medicine. LAU employees collaborate with investigators to meet their research needs by providing a full spectrum of animal care and related services, including animal acquisition and disposition, veterinary medical care, consulting, animal health management, technical services, training, and research support.

Animal Orders and Research Diet Orders

Animal orders may be placed online following approval by the MEC and IACUC. Research diet orders can also be submitted online to communicate special dietary requirements to the LAU staff.

Husbandry Services

Animal care is provided 365 days a year to ensure the health and well-being of the animals. Our standard operating procedures have been developed over the years to ensure consistent, reliable care in accordance with national laws and regulations, and to meet national standards.

Research and Technical Services

A variety of research and technical services are available to support the successful completion of research projects. These include sample administration, sample collection, surgical support, post-operative care, experimental design, animal model selection, and protocol development.

Veterinary Services

The LAU veterinary staff provides support to maintain the health and well-being of research animals. This includes clinical case management, surgical and anesthesia support, emergency response, animal euthanasia, and training for laboratory animal users.

Training

LAU provides training for investigators, their staff, and students in the proper handling and restraint of laboratory animals such as mice, rats, and rabbits. Training also covers biomethods including blood collection techniques, injection techniques, oral gavage, surgery, and necropsy.

Laboratory Animal Unit Objectives

  1. Foster an environment of care, respect, and support for laboratory animals, researchers, and staff.

  2. Provide quality animals as well as humane husbandry and veterinary care for laboratory animals.

  3. Facilitate essential animal-based research with an emphasis on ethics, communication, and safety.

  4. Provide training and technical support for research and teaching.

  5. Collaborate with investigators in the development of animal-based research.

  6. Maintain animal facilities and equipment to meet both animal and research needs and regulatory standards of care.

  7. Be a leader in the field of animal care and support.