Young Researcher from Greece is the Winner of this Year's "Basel Declaration Award for Education in Animal Research"

ZURICH, Switzerland, September 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Eirini Fragkiadaki, a young veterinarian and researcher at the Pasteur Institute in Athens, is dedicated to developing her university's Department for Animal Research according to the 3R rule (Replace, Reduce, Refine). In the coming years she will focus on education and training and promote the high-quality ethical and scientific standards of the Basel Declaration Society in all issues affecting animal experiments.

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120904/559344 )

The "Basel Declaration Society" bestowed its first "Basel Declaration Award for Education in Animal Research" to young Greek researcher Eirini Fragkiadaki. In the last week of August of this year, Dr. Fragkiadaki attended the Laboratory Animal Science introductory course at the University of Zurich Irchel under the direction of Prof. Kurt Bürki and Dr. Philippe Bugnon. There she became familiar with and learned how to apply the newest technologies for responsible, gentle treatment of animals in animal experiments. "I benefited immensely from this week. Especially in regard to gentle treatment of animals," says the happy winner.

The course is accredited by the FELASA, the Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations, and the costs for the course were paid for by the Basel Declaration Society. Because financial belt-tightening is currently affecting every public institution in Greece, the Swiss Laboratory Animal Science Association (SGV/SSEAL) generously agreed to assume the travel and accommodation costs.

Unfortunately, using animals remains unavoidable in biological-medical fundamental research. However, the animals used in experiments should be subjected to as little suffering and pain as possible, and only as many animals should be used as are necessary in order to obtain the intended knowledge.  The 3Rs (Replace, Reduce, Refine) make up the supreme ethical principle whose rules should be applied worldwide. This will not only help the laboratory animals but will also improve the quality of the scientific experiments.

Contact:

Basel Declaration Society
Astrid Kugler, Managing Director
Phone: +41/44/365'30'97
E-Mail: [email protected]

SOURCE Basel Declaration Society