The Center for Experimental Medicine (CMD) was established in 2005 on the basis of the Central Experimental Animal Facility as an experimental and breeding unit. Its main tasks include conducting experimental and implementation work in cooperation with other units of the Silesian Medical University in Katowice and breeding selected strains of laboratory animals.
The Center, as the only unit of its kind at the University, has the appropriate authorizations and - in accordance with legislation - conditions for conducting medical experiments on animals.
Activities carried out at the CMD are centered around priority research directions (as defined in the state's scientific policy), focused on diseases of civilization, particularly degenerative diseases of the central nervous system, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and research of new drugs. Three directions can be distinguished in CMD's scientific activities. The first is related to research projects carried out at CMD by other scientific and didactic units of the University. The second relates to experiments carried out on the order of external entities (outside the University) that do not have conditions for animal experiments. The third direction involves CMD's own research focusing on the use of transgenic mouse models in studies of central nervous system disorders and their involvement in behavioral disorders. The functioning of the CMD as an experimental and breeding unit is made possible by its extensive equipment, which allows not only to ensure high breeding standards, but also to conduct research using top-class research equipment.
The CMD's 5469-square-meter building consists of a breeding area for rodents, a breeding area for large animals, and a scientific-laboratory area. In addition, the CMD has an operating room for medium and large animals with DRÄGER anesthetic equipment, unique in the country, which allows surgical procedures to be performed under full anesthesia and under control of all necessary parameters.
The Center for Experimental Medicine invites all interested units of the Medical University of Silesia, scientific and research units, both domestic and foreign, as well as biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies to cooperate. The center offers laboratory animals from its own animal house and the possibility of using a fully equipped operating room for medium and large animals. During surgical procedures, we can provide assistance from qualified personnel. In addition, it is possible to conduct experiments on animals in the CMD premises. We offer expert assistance in planning experiments and maintaining laboratory animals in our animal house.
