Biological Services Group

When there are no suitable alternatives, LMB scientists use animals in their research, with the aim of identifying new therapies and cures.

The LMB’s Biological Services Group (BSG) maintains state-of-the-art facilities to house breeding and experimental colonies of mice and rats. We aim to provide the highest standard of modern transgenic production services and experimental resources to support the LMB’s current and future scientific programmes.

Animal health and welfare is of paramount importance at the LMB, both from an ethical view and to achieve robust and reproducible experimental data. All LMB work involving rodents is undertaken by trained staff in accordance with the strict regulations imposed by the UK government, with an emphasis placed on the 3Rs: Replacement, Refinement and Reduction.

The BSG is composed of approximately 70 staff, the majority of whom are responsible for the day-to-day husbandry of animals. Others are in charge of a mouse breeding room, are specialised experimental technicians or are responsible for discrete areas within the facility, like breeding, quarantine, experimental, transgenic production, genotyping and cage wash.