The Sainsbury Wellcome Centre (SWC) at UCL is delighted to announce that we have maintained our accreditation from the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) International. 

The AAALAC International accreditation program evaluates organisations that use animals in science and education, and accreditation confirms SWC’s dedication to responsible animal care and the humane and ethical treatment of animals in science. 

SWC is committed to minimising the use of animals in research whilst continuing to facilitate advances in science, research and medical knowledge. We are proud to have maintained full accreditation from AAALAC International for our outstanding standards of animal care and welfare.

Professor Tom Otis, Chief Scientific Officer at SWC said: “Maintaining AAALAC International accreditation is a testament to the dedication, professionalism and expertise of the Neurobiological Research Facility team here at SWC. They were aided by staff from across the institute, not least the Building Operations team, who maintain environmental standards. A well-earned congratulations to all!”

Janet Watson, Chair of the SWC Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body (AWERB) commented: “This commendation recognises the culture of continuous improvement in animal care and use at SWC, and the effectiveness of the AWERB in overseeing all aspects of the programme.”

The AAALAC International Council on Accreditation commended the SWC staff for providing and maintaining an excellent programme of animal care and use. In particular, they noted the open institutional culture; the engaged, knowledgeable staff; the clean, well-organised facilities; the designated mentoring and observant training system; the impressive design, equipment and overall organisation of facilities.

Eleni Amaniti, Head of Neurobiological Research Facility, SWC, said: “At SWC, we take great pride in our outstanding Neurobiological Research Facility and our commitment to maintaining the internationally recognised standards for animal care and use in science. Our accreditation is a significant achievement and underscores our dedication to upholding the highest standards of accountability, offering reassurance to the research community, funders, and the public alike. This accomplishment reflects the diligent collective effort of all staff across SWC.”

About AAALAC International

AAALAC International is a private, nonprofit organisation that promotes the humane treatment of animals in science through a voluntary accreditation program. More than 1,140+ companies, universities, hospitals, government agencies and other research institutions in 52 countries/regions have earned AAALAC accreditation, demonstrating their commitment to responsible animal care and use. For further information, please visit: https://www.aaalac.org/

Media contact:

For more information or to speak to the people involved, please contact:

Alison Cranage, Research Communications and Engagement Manager

E: a.cranage@ucl.ac.uk, T: +44 (0) 7917 922 068