Acronyms and Definitions of Terms (Research and Research Training Division, UQ)

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Acronyms

3Rs: Concept of replacement, refinement & reduction of animal use by Russell & Birch
ABS: Anatomical Biosciences
ACPA: Animal Care and Protection Act (2001)
AEC: Animal Ethics Committee (a sub-committee)
AIBN Animal House: Australian Institute of Bioengineering & Nanotechnology
ANAT: Anatomy & Developmental Biology
ANZCCART: Australian & New Zealand Council for Care of Animals in Research & Teaching
ANZLAS: Australian & New Zealand Laboratory Animal Society
AQIS: Australian Quarantine Inspection Service
AR: Annual Renewal of ethics application
ARC: Australian Research Council
AWO: Animal Welfare Officer (St Lucia)
AWOG: Animal Welfare Officer (Gatton)
AWU: Animal Welfare Unit
AWUC: Animal Welfare Unit Coordinator
BRF: Biological Research Facility
CI: Chief Investigator
CITES: Convention International Trade in Endangered Species
CSIRO: Commonwealth Scientific Industry Research Organisation
CVO: Consultant Veterinary Officer
DNR: Department of Natural Resources & Mines
DPI&F: Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries
DUQBR: Director of UQ Biological Resources
DVC: Deputy Vice-Chancellor
DVC(R): Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research)
EPA: Environmental Protection Agency
EPP: Educational Purposes Permit (QNPWS)
GBRMPA: Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
GMAC/GTRO/OGTR: Office of the Gene Technology Regulator
HMRC: Herston Medical Research Centre
IMB: Institute for Molecular Bioscience
MABs: Monoclonal antibodies
MBMPA: Moreton Bay Marine Park Authority
MBS: Molecular Biosciences
MMRI: Mater Medical Research Institute
NEWMA: Native and Exotic Wildlife and Marine Animals
NFNY: A new animal ethics application form is required next year
NHMRC: National Health & Medical Research Council
NRAVS: Faculty of Natural Resources, Agriculture & Veterinary Science
NRSM: School of Natural Rural Systems Management
OH&S: Occupational Health & Safety
OIC: Officer In Charge
ORPS: Office of Research and Postgraduate Studies (now RRTD)
PAH BRF: Princess Alexandra Hospital Biological Research Facility
PCA: Production and Companion Animals
PCH BRF: Prince Charles Hospital Biological Research Facility
QBI Animal House: Queensland Brain Institute
QDPI&F: Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (now Queensland Biosecurity)
QNPWS: Queensland National Parks & Wildlife Service
RSPCA: Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
RRTD: Research & Research Training Division (formerly ORPS)
SBMS: School of Biomedical Sciences
SMMS Animal House: School of Molecular & Microbial Science
SOP: Standard Operating Procedure
SPP: Scientific Purposes Permit (QNPWS)
TASQ: Transgenic Animal Service of Queensland (St Lucia)
The Code of Practice: The Code of Practice for the Care and use of Animals for Scientific Purposes 7th Edition
UAEC: University Animal Ethics Committee (central committee)
UQ: University of Queensland
VC: Vice-Chancellor

Definitions of Terms used in the context of The Code of Practice for the Care and use of Animals for Scientific Purposes 7th Edition

"alternatives": Alternatives to the use of live animals in research and teaching eg videos, in vitro work etc
Invertebrate animals: Animals without a backbone eg insects, worms, octopus, crabs, squids and snails
Participant: Personnel involved in an ethics project
The Act: Animal Care and Protection Act (2001)
Pest species: An animal, usually introduced, declared by legislation as a pest in Australia/Queensland eg feral pigs, xenopus frogs.
The Code: The Code of Practice for the Care and use of Animals for Scientific Purposes 7th Edition
Chair, ChairPerson: The person who conducts an AEC meeting
The Regulators: Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries
Vertebrate animals: Animals having a backbone eg humans, amphibians, mammals, most fish, reptiles and birds
Animal: Any live non-human vertebrate, that is, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals, encompassing domestic animals, purpose-bred animals, livestock, wildlife, and also cephalopods such as octopus and squid.
Animal Ethics Committee (AEC): A committee constituted in accordance with the terms of reference and membership laid down in the Code.
Animal welfare: An animal’s quality of life based on an assessment of an animal’s physical and psychological state as an indication of how the animal is coping with the ongoing situation as well as a judgment about how the animal feels (see also ‘Animal wellbeing’ and ‘Distress’).
Animal wellbeing: An animal’s present state with regard to its relationship with all aspects of its environment, both internal and external. It implies a positive mental state, successful biological function, positive experiences and freedom from adverse conditions.
Biological product: Biological products are products derived from animals to be used for scientific purposes which can include blood products, vaccines, antisera, semen, antibodies and cell lines.
Clone: A genetic copy of another living or dead animal. It is not a twin derived by the fertilisation of an egg by a sperm (see Somatic cell nuclear transfer).
Compliance: Acting in accordance with the Code.
Conflict of interest: A situation in which an AEC member has an interest that may either influence or appear to influence their objectivity in the exercise of their duties as a member of the AEC.
Consensus: The outcome of a decision making process whereby the legitimate concerns of members of the AEC are addressed, and as a result all members accept the final decision, even though it may not be an individual’s preferred option.
Death as an end-point: When the death of an animal is the deliberate measure used for evaluating biological or chemical processes, responses or effects. That is, where the investigator or teacher will not intervene to kill the animal humanely before death occurs in the course of a scientific activity.
Distress: The state of an animal, that has been unable to adapt completely to stressors, and that manifests as abnormal physiological or behavioural responses. It can be acute or chronic and may result in pathological conditions.
Ethics: A framework in which actions can be considered as good or bad, right or wrong. Ethics is applied in the evaluation of what should or should not be done when animals are proposed for use, or are used, for scientific purposes.
Euthanasia: The humane killing of an animal, in the interests of its own welfare, to alleviate pain and distress (see Humane killing).
Facilities: Places where animals are kept including yards, paddocks, tanks, ponds and buildings.
Genetic modification (of animals): The use of any technique for the modification of genes or other genetic material, but not including the use of natural processes such as sexual reproduction.
Humane killing: The process of killing an animal with minimal pain and distress (see Euthanasia).
Investigator or teacher: Any person who uses animals for scientific purposes.
Livestock: Animals that are used in commercial agriculture and aquaculture.
Monitoring: Measures undertaken to assess the wellbeing of animals in accordance with the Code. This occurs at different levels. For example, at the level of the researcher and animal facility manager, monitoring is undertaken to assess the wellbeing of animals that are used and cared for, and at the level of the AEC, monitoring is undertaken to assess the adequacy of standards of animal care and use.
Pain: An unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage. It may elicit protective actions, result in learned avoidance and distress and may modify species-specific traits of behaviour, including social behaviour.
Project: A scientific activity or activities that form a discrete piece of work. A project cannot commence until it has been approved by an AEC.
Proposal: A written application to carry out a project for consideration by an AEC.
Scientific activity: An activity required to achieve the scientific purposes.
Scientific purposes: All those purposes which aim to acquire, develop or demonstrate knowledge or techniques in any area of science including teaching, field trials, environmental studies, research, diagnosis, product testing, and the production of biological products.
Somatic cell nuclear transfer: The technique of inserting a nucleus of a cell from one of the body's tissues, other than a germ cell (a somatic cell) into an egg that has had its nucleus removed.
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP): Detailed description of a standardised procedure.
Teaching: Developing, imparting or demonstrating knowledge or techniques in any area of science.
Vertebrate pest animals: Animals, including non-indigenous (introduced and feral) and native species, that are generally regarded, or have been declared under State or Territory legislation, as a "pest species".
Voucher specimen: Any specimen, usually but not always a dead animal, that serves as a basis of study and is retained as a reference. "Type" specimen is a particular voucher specimen that serves as a basis for taxonomic description of that subspecies.
Xenotransplantation: The transplantation of living organs, tissues or cells from one species to another. It includes xenotransplantation for therapeutic purposes.
Wildlife: Free-living animals of native, non-indigenous or feral species including captive-bred animals and those captured from free-living populations.