What is a specialist who works with mice called? - briefly
A professional who handles laboratory mice is called a mouse technician, often referred to as a rodent specialist or murine biologist.
What is a specialist who works with mice called? - in detail
The professional responsible for the care, breeding, and experimental use of laboratory mice is commonly referred to as a mouse technician or murine animal caretaker. In research facilities this role may also be titled laboratory animal technician, vivarium technician, or rodent specialist, depending on institutional nomenclature.
Primary duties include:
- Maintaining colony health through regular health monitoring, quarantine, and disease prevention.
- Managing breeding programs to produce specific genotypes, recording litter data, and ensuring genetic integrity.
- Performing routine husbandry tasks such as cage cleaning, feeding, bedding changes, and environmental enrichment.
- Assisting researchers with animal handling, dosing, sample collection, and phenotypic assessments.
- Documenting procedures in compliance with institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC) guidelines and federal regulations (e.g., USDA‑APHIS, OLAW).
Required qualifications typically consist of:
- Associate or bachelor’s degree in animal science, biology, or a related field.
- Certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) – Certified Laboratory Animal Technician (CLAT) or higher.
- Training in biosafety, animal welfare regulations, and species‑specific handling techniques.
Work environments span academic laboratories, pharmaceutical companies, biotech firms, and government research agencies. Professional development is supported by societies such as the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC) and the Society for Laboratory Animal Science, which provide continuing education, conferences, and networking opportunities.
The expertise of these specialists ensures reproducible scientific results, ethical treatment of animals, and compliance with regulatory standards.