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Newsletter
of IBF
Heidelberg
University I/2026
Dear users of the IBF,
With this newsletter, we would like
to inform you about changes in procedures, adjustments to quality
standards and animal welfare aspects, as well as new regulations and
training opportunities. In addition, we provide insights into current
personnel and organizational developments that directly affect daily
work in animal research.
For animal welfare reasons, we were
required to impose a breeding stop in February of this year as a
measure of last resort (“ultima ratio”), which was lifted again in March.
This was the first necessary breeding stop in twelve years.
In addition to the temporary
breeding stop, the following measures have contributed significantly
to stabilization and helped ensure adequate animal care:
- Introduction
of an animal exchange platform for the redistribution of animals
- Intensive
recruitment efforts leading to the (partial) filling of vacant
positions
- Introduction
of the breeding approval process, which has significantly
improved planning for our animal care staff and strengthens 3R
compliance
(see our note on Breeding & Mouse Line Usage: IBF
Newsletter 2024)
We would like to sincerely thank
you for your active and constructive cooperation in implementing
these measures. Together, we have taken an important step toward
stabilizing the strained personnel situation and animal care.
The breeding approval process will
remain an integral part of our procedures. There is no fixed upper
limit for pairings, provided that the defined criteria are met. For
questions regarding technical procedures, please contact the
“Breeding Management” team (Ms. Theresa Swidersky, Ms. Ulrike
Gärtner, and Mr. Francisco Restrepo-Klinge).
We continue to work on tools to
identify and mitigate bottlenecks at an early stage and therefore
rely on forward planning and transparent communication.
Despite increased staffing,
ensuring proper care and close monitoring of animals—especially in
barrier facilities—remains challenging.
In this context, we are pleased
that a recent tender was successfully awarded for additional animal
care support in basic animal husbandry through an external service
provider.
Animal welfare information:
Mr. Weber-Wilk will leave the IBF
on May 31, 2026. The role of Animal Welfare Officer will be assumed
by Dr. Becker as of June 1, 2026 (Deputy: Prof. Dr. Sabine
Chourbaji).
In December 2025, the Karlsruhe
Regional Council introduced a new personnel form (“Personenbogen”). Only this form will be accepted.
The Animal Welfare Office Secretariat (Ms. Karg)
will request it as needed if only outdated versions are available.
As part of a digitalization
initiative, the Karlsruhe Regional Council is updating the personnel
records of all individuals involved in animal experimentation
(including principal investigators and their deputies).
In addition to the personnel form, proof of professional
qualification or competence in accordance with §16 TierSchVersV
(e.g., FELASA course) must be submitted. Transitional provisions
pursuant to §48 TierSchVersV apply to individuals who can demonstrate
involvement in animal experimentation prior to July 12, 2013.
Staff registrations for T and G
projects must in future be submitted on separate forms. Combined
registrations will no longer be accepted by the Karlsruhe Regional
Council.
Transport of laboratory animals:
We would like to reiterate the
following requirements:
- Transport
only in escape-proof and appropriate containers
- Proper labeling
of transported
animals
- Ideally,
transport should be carried out via basement corridors
Animals are ready for collection
from the morning onward. During the hot months, please avoid
scheduling collection around midday.
Information on veterinary staff:
Following the departure of Mr. Till
Ganser in April and the upcoming departure of Mr. Kevin Weber-Wilk on
May 31, 2026, two new colleagues have been recruited. From summer
onward, Amelie Hoppe and Dr. Svenja Pauer
will join Dr. Kristianna Becker and Dr. Sara Morais in strengthening
the veterinary team.
Details regarding availability will
be announced after the new veterinarians have started their
positions.
We wish our departing and new
colleagues all the best and much success in their respective roles.
Information on laboratory animal
science courses / VTK seminars:
Various options are currently being
explored for the future organization of laboratory animal science
courses. The goal is to enable short distances within a campus
strategy and to offer courses with appropriate supervision ratios.
In-person VTK seminars are also
planned; room allocation is currently underway. We welcome
suggestions for interesting topics from Heidelberg-based animal or
non-animal research.
Contact:
Please also inform your colleagues
about the opportunity to register for the newsletter and the
“Updates” mailing list so that relevant information reaches everyone
in a timely manner.
Registration via this link: Newsletter
subscription
Our goal remains to promote
transparency, exchange, and a reliable information base for all staff
and researchers. Thank you for your commitment and cooperation.
Kind regards,
Sabine Chourbaji
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