prof dr. rer. medic. Dipl. Biol. Saskia S. Arndt, PhD
ACADEMIC POSITIONS
2024 - present: Chair Division Animals in Science and Society, Department Population Health Sciences, Utrecht University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
2018 - present: Professor of Animal Behaviour, Division Animals in Science and Society, Department Population Health Sciences, Utrecht University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
2016-2018: Associate Professor Animal Welfare & Animal Behaviour, Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division Animal Welfare and Laboratory Animal Science, Utrecht University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
2009-2016: Assistant Professor, Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division Animal Welfare and Laboratory Animal Science, Utrecht University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
2005-2009: Postdoctoral fellow and Junior Lecturer, Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division Animal Welfare and Laboratory Animal Science, Utrecht University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
2004: Postdoctoral fellow, Cognitive Neurobiology group, University of Cologne, Medical Faculty, Cologne, Germany
1999-2004: PhD student with scientist position, Head of laboratory, Cognitive Neurobiology group, University of Cologne, Medical Faculty, Cologne, Germany
1998-1999: German Agency for Quality in Medicine, Cologne, Germany, Research Associate
1997-1998: Emory University, Yerkes Primate National Research Center, Atlanta, USA, Scientist, Living Links Center
1996-1997: German Primate Center - Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany,Research assistant, Intern, Animal care taker
EDUCATION
2016: Leadership programme within development of faculty staff program ‘Vet2020’
2015-2016: Certification Leadership in Teaching, Utrecht University, Center of Excellence in University Teaching
2013: Senior qualification Teaching for Higher Education (SKO), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
2009: Qualification Teaching for Higher Education (BKO), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
2005: Certification art.9-researcher (WoD), Utrecht University
2004: Certification Management, TÜV Rheinland Academy, Cologne, Germany
2004: PhD Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Germany - ‘Summa Cum Laude’, Thesis ‘Phenotypic characterisation with special emphasis on behaviour, circadian rhythmicity and metabolism considering an Insulin receptor knockout mouse model as example’
1998: MSc Biology (Diplom), Faculty of Mathematics & Natural Sciences, University of Cologne, Germany and Yerkes Regional Primate Centre, Living Links Center, Atlanta, USA - ‘Excellent’
1994: BSc Biology (Vor-Diplom), Faculty of Biology, University of Giessen, Germany
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2017 - present: Spokesperson university ‘Animal Welfare in animal experimentation’
2016 - present: Spokesperson department Animals in Science & Society ‘Animal Welfare’; Member university advisory board Animal Welfare Body; Member advisory board Management Team (MT+); Member advisory board Center for Sustainable Animal Stewardship (cenSAS)
2016: Member faculty advisory board development of staff program ‘Vet2020'; Project leader ‘Relationships with stakeholders of the faculty of Veterinary Medicine’
2015 - present: Principal investigator ‘Refinement of animal experiments’
2013 - 2018: Chair staff representatives Faculty Council
2012 - present: Member board of the 3Rs Centre, Utrecht Life Sciences; Examiner faculty research proposals Honors- and Master student internships; Mentor faculty Honors research students; Research internship coordinator
2010-2016: Member scientific committee
2011 - 2018: Member Faculty Council
AWARDS AND GRANTS
2015-2016: Leadership in teaching grant, Utrecht University, Center of Excellence in University Teaching
2014: Animal Welfare Enhancement Award, Johns Hopkins University, Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing, ‘What can we learn from social strategies about the animal's state of welfare?’; Award Elective Master Course Utrecht University ‘Ethology & Welfare’ (chair), ‘One of the best three master courses of the Graduate School of Life Sciences’
2013: Award Elective Master Course Utrecht University ‘Ethology & Welfare’ (chair), ‘One of the best three master courses of the Graduate School of Life Sciences’
2006-2007: Research grant ECLAM and ESLAV Foundation, ‘Housing and husbandry standards for mice’
2004: Grant post-graduate professional training ‘Management’, TÜV Rheinland Academy, Cologne, Germany
2002: Research grant Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Germany, ‘Behavioural phenotyping of an Insulin receptor knockout mouse model’
2001: Research grant Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Germany, ‘Circadian rhythmicity in mice’; Research grant Bayer AG, Wuppertal, Germany, ‘Behavioural phenotyping of potential mouse models for dementia’; Research grant Microsoft, Munich, Germany, ‘Database project mouse mutants’
1999: Research grant Maria Pesch-Stiftung, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Germany, ‘Behavioural phenotyping of mouse mutants’
1999-2004: PhD grant Bayer CNS research, Wuppertal, Germany, ‘Behavioural phenotyping of potential mouse models for Alzheimer’s Disease’