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Animal Technology

Laboratory Skills for Animal Technicians

A practical introduction to laboratory techniques for animal technicians. Build confidence in safe laboratory working, equipment use, sample preparation and essential skills such as pipetting, weighing and reagent preparation.

  • Animal Technology
  • 1 day
Tutor
Alex Hardgrave
When
  • 16 June 2027
  • 20 October 2027
Availability
Open for booking
Cost
£400
Duration
1 day

Course Overview

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

Includes

  • 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

Course details

Where

This course takes place at Advance, Harwell. You will be working in dedicated training spaces designed for practical scientific learning.

Format

This is a 1 day practical course built around active participation, demonstrations, and supervised technical work.

Level

Suitable for learners who want to translate scientific knowledge into stronger practical capability.

Availability

Open for booking

Cost

Course fee: £400. Contact the team if you need help exploring funding or team bookings.

Tutors

Meet Your Tutor

This course is taught by active practitioners who bring current methods, practical judgement, and real laboratory context into every session.

Alex Hardgrave

Alex Hardgrave

Clinical Pathology Manager at the Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell

PhD in Immunology, Lancaster University - research focused on antibiotics, macrophages and intestinal hormones. MSci in Biomedicine, Lancaster University.

Alex Hardgrave is the Clinical Pathology Manager at the Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell. His day job involves managing a hospital lab for research, providing clinical-style high throughput analysis of blood and urine samples for researchers across the UK and beyond. As well as high throughput analysis, the lab also provides bespoke flow cytometry services and immunoassays.

He completed a PhD in Immunology at Lancaster University in collaboration with the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, studying the effects of certain specialised antibiotics on the immune system. Principally focusing on macrophages in both a murine and cell model, this developed his expertise in in-vivo and in-vitro immunology research.

Since completing his PhD, Alex has worked primarily in the academic research environment, in areas ranging from cancer to parasitic worm infections. He has been at the MLC for just over three years, during which time he has led the teaching and development of the Lab Skills courses at Advance. He uses his diverse experience to ensure lab skills course attendees receive high-quality training in the most up to date lab practices.

  • Animal Technology
  • Lab Skills

What You Will Take Away

The course is designed to give learners practical outcomes they can carry back into their own work immediately.

What I liked the most about this lab skill session was that we had the chance to apply everything we learned in theory directly into practice. It was a great hands-on experience that really helped reinforce our knowledge.

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

In Their Own Words

General

“What I liked the most about this lab skill session was that we had the chance to apply everything we learned in theory directly into practice. It was a great hands-on experience that really helped reinforce our knowledge.”

Next

Build on Your Foundation

Deepen your skills with related courses

Questions

What should I bring?

Bring a notebook and any device you regularly use for work. We provide the equipment and materials needed for the practical sessions.

Is prior experience required?

The course is designed for learners who want to build or deepen practical capability. If you are unsure about your level, contact us and we can advise.

Do you offer group bookings?

Yes. We can discuss group bookings, scheduling, and practical requirements for teams or organisations.

Ready to Advance Your Practice?

Secure your place or register your interest today