Having the knowledge and confidence to work safely in the laboratory is a valuable skill for all animal technicians. This course will cover basic theoretical and practical laboratory skills including following COSHH risk assessments, best laboratory practice, use of fume hoods/biosafety cabinets, centrifuges and other laboratory equipment, pipetting skills, using balances and preparing reagents and solutions. A sustainability module is also included to highlight ways to reduce the environmental impact of laboratory work. Participants will explore practical ways to improve sustainability in the laboratory by reducing energy consumption and minimising the use of plastics and water and promoting more sustainable supply chain practices. Who is this for?

• Animal Technicians who would like to develop their laboratory skills

After the course you will be able to:

• Read and understand the purpose of Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) risk assessment (RA) forms
• Process blood samples for further analysis
• Correctly use fume hoods, biosafety cabinets, centrifuges and other general laboratory equipment
• Choose the correct pipette for your task and perform common pipetting techniques
• Set up and use balances to accurately weigh both substances and animals.
• Calculate doses of substances and prepare them accurately.
• Adjust the pH of solutions
• Incorporate sustainability considerations into laboratory work to support efficient and environmentally responsible research