Nebrija ResearchEthics and Animal Experimentation Committee
The objective of the Animal Ethics and Experimentation Committee (referred to as CEEA hereafter) is to ensure compliance with current regulations concerning the protection of animals utilized in experimentation and other scientific endeavors, including teaching. These regulations encompass: European Directive 2010/63/EU concerning the protection of animals used for scientific purposes; European Commission Recommendation 2007/526/EC, providing guidelines regarding the housing and care of animals utilized for experimentation and other scientific purposes; Law 6/2013 for the care of animals, encompassing their exploitation, transportation, experimentation, and slaughter; D.R. 53/2013, which establishes the fundamental rules applicable to the protection of animals used in experimentation and other scientific pursuits, including teaching.
As such, the CEEA is specifically responsible for adhering to R.D. 53/2013 dated February 1, 2013, particularly in its articles 34 and 35, which delineate the fundamental regulations applicable to the protection of animals utilized in experimentation and other scientific activities, including teaching. These responsibilities include project evaluation, including retrospective assessments.
The CEEA of the School of Life Sciences is characterized by its multidisciplinary nature, impartiality, and independence, meeting all the requirements mandated by current regulations for its accreditation.
The objective of this regulation is to delineate the functions and responsibilities, composition, meeting frequency, and internal operational procedures of the Animal Ethics and Experimentation Committee of the School of Life Sciences.
CEEA Regulations
Composition of the CEEA
The Animal Welfare Body of the School of Life Sciences, hereinafter referred to as OEBA-Nebrija, is specifically responsible for compliance with RD 53/2013 of February 1, which sets forth the fundamental regulations applicable to the protection of animals used in experimentation and other scientific purposes, including teaching.
In accordance with Article 39 of the aforementioned Royal Decree, which stipulates the minimum composition of the OEBA for procedure evaluation, this body comprises individuals with the requisite experience and expertise to ensure the well-being and care of the animals involved, at a minimum:
- The individual accountable for the welfare and care of the animals within the center, concurrently serving as the secretary of the body.
- A minimum of one researcher not directly engaged in the procedure under evaluation.
- The appointed veterinarian of the center.
Composition
- Natalia Arias Del Castillo: President. Wellbeing manager, researcher.
Dr. Arias has served as Principal Investigator (PI) for 2 ARUK Pump Prime projects granted by King's ARUK Network, along with 9 projects (pilot grants) awarded by King's College London. Additionally, she has engaged in international collaboration, contributing to 7 research projects—six subsidized within the national plan and one by the Mutua Madrileña Foundation (FMMA). These endeavors underscore her international leadership and experience in fostering international partnerships to achieve objectives.
Furthermore, Dr. Arias assumed the role of Research Line Manager for preclinical experiments conducted at the Maurice Wohl Neuroscience Institute, within the Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience at DRI King's College London. In this capacity, she coordinated human and research teams for three years to conduct all preclinical trials that led to the establishment of the spin-off company, AviadoBio. AviadoBio's mission is to enhance the lives of patients afflicted with neurodegenerative disorders. The company's commercial objective is the development of transformative gene therapies for diseases such as frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), drawing from animal models. - Claudia Arrieta: Secretary..
Claudia earned her bachelor's degree in Biology and Ecology from the University of Perpignan (France) in 2009, followed by a bachelor's degree in Food Quality and Environmental Management (QAE) from the same university in 2010. Subsequently, she graduated in Veterinary Medicine from the Autonomous University of Barcelona in 2016, and in 2021, she completed her doctorate in Animal Medicine and Health at the same university.
Throughout her career, Claudia has worked extensively with various animal models, including goats, sheep, pigs, ferrets, and foxes, both in field settings and under high biosafety conditions (BSL3). She has led numerous research projects focusing on tuberculosis in goats at the IRTA-CReSA, affiliated with the Autonomous University of Barcelona. As a result of her contributions, Claudia has authored four scientific articles as the lead author in prestigious scientific journals and has actively participated in various national and international conferences.
Moreover, she has been involved in research projects with the National Agency for Food, Environment, and Work Safety (ANSES) at the Rabies and Wildlife Laboratory in Nancy (France). Currently, she serves as an in vivo research consultant, contributing to the design and pre-review of projects involving different animal models. - Sergio Salazar Fuentes: Appointed veterinarian, researcher.
Sergio graduated with a bachelor's degree in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Córdoba in 2006 and has accumulated over fifteen years of experience in animal experimentation, holding roles as a designated veterinarian, project manager, and animal facility manager. In compliance with ECC Order 566/2015, Sergio fulfills functions b, c, d, e, and f and obtained the Master's in Laboratory Animals (category D) from the UAB in 2015. He furthered his education by earning a Master's in Business Administration from IE (Madrid).
Throughout his career, Sergio has spearheaded numerous animal facility management projects across Europe, collaborating with prestigious institutions such as CNIO, CEA, CERFE, Toulouse Biocitech, ICM, PRBB, PCB, Glaxo Smithkline, Universitat de Barcelona, Navarrabiomed, and Granja San Bernardo, among others. These projects have involved teams ranging from two to fifty individuals, encompassing biosafety levels from axenic to biosafety 3 (BSL3), and covering a diverse range of species including primates, rodents, fish, frogs, hamsters, rabbits, and pigs.
Currently, Sergio serves as a member of the ethics committees/authorized bodies at Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona, Navarrabiomed, Granja San Bernardo, Biodonostia, and the School of Medicine of the University of Cádiz.
Actualmente es miembro de los comités de ética/órganos habilitados del Parc de Recerca Biomédica de Barcelona, Navarrabiomed, Granja San Bernardo, Biodonostia y Faculta de Medicina de la universidad de Cádiz. - Victor Echeverry Alazate: Researcher.
Dr. Echeverry is a professor and researcher at Nebrija University, maintaining a fruitful collaboration with Complutense University of Madrid and the IBIMA Institute (Málaga). His research focuses on neurobiology and psychopharmacology of addictive behaviors, with a specific emphasis on alcoholism. Additionally, he has shown scientific interest in neurodegenerative diseases, evident through several publications covering behavioral evaluations (such as learning and memory, anxiety, and depression-like behaviors), as well as immunohistochemistry, Western blot, RT-qPCR, and other laboratory techniques.
Dr. Echeverry has authored 27 scientific articles in this field and has been involved in over 16 research projects, spanning studies on both humans and rodents. - Ana María Jiménez García: Researcher.
Dr. Jiménez is a professor and researcher at Nebrija University, boasting extensive experience in experimenting with various animal models of pathology. She has conducted research at the University of Granada's research center and presently collaborates with the Brain and Behavior research group at Antonio de Nebrija University. Her current focus lies in the development of novel non-invasive strategies for cognitive recovery in neurodegenerative conditions.
Documentation and Forms
Sheet 1: Project Evaluation Application