The DGIST Laboratory Animal Resource Center held a signboard hanging ceremony to celebrate its designation as a Korea Excellent Laboratory Animal Facility (KELAF) on March 28, organized by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (hereinafter MFDS).
Opened in 2016, the Laboratory Animal Resource Center in the DGIST—First Class Research Infrastructure Center has since then built equipment for small animal behavior analysis, bioimage analysis, and advanced microsurgical instrument, supporting basic and applied research in the fields of brain and cognitive science, tumor, aging, metabolic diseases, and medical robot development.
The Laboratory Animal Resource Center has developed veterinarians and professionals as well as standard work manual for the proper operation and management of lab facility, animal raising, and veterinary, went through an onsite survey on actual operation by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and finally acquired certificate as a Korea Excellent Laboratory Animal Facility on December 3, 2018.
The KELAF certification is awarded by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety according to the “Law on Laboratory Animals,” in order to contribute to the development of life sciences and national healthcare by improving the ethicality and reliability of animal experiments through the appropriate management of lab animals and animal experiments.
Among 447 laboratory animal facilities registered on Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, 13 institutions that include DGIST are designated as KELAF. As the first educational institution in Daegu-Gyeongbuk area, DGIST is expected to make huge contributions to the improvement of professionality and excellence in advanced bio-convergence research activities.
Director Yong-seok Oh of Laboratory Animal Resource Center said “That we’ve been designated as KELAF means that we’ve been recognized for the ethicality and reliability of our animal experiments. We will strive continuously for the development of advanced bio-convergence research at DGIST.”
