Outdated room needed overhaul
The MF building was completely overhauled a few years ago. This year it was the turn of the anatomic lab. It was badly needed, as the most recent renovation had taken place 40 years prior. In the meantime, new technologies have been introduced for safe and hygienic working. Ventilation and climate control have also been improved.
Using folding partitions, the new anatomic lab can be divided into three sections, each of which can be individually accessed from the foyer. This makes it possible to teach multiple practicals at the same time, without the students bothering each other. The look and feel has had a major upgrade, by adding more colour and wood tones. This makes for a pleasant and serene environment. Physician, physiologist and coordinator of the Anatomical Lab Alexander Bijnsdorp says: “The new environment is not as sterile and cold as you might expect. We hope that this more pleasant look and feel will help us to make students’ first visits a bit less unnerving.”
Good cooperation between FCO and the design team
FCO, Realisation Management, Facilities and Property Management and a design team composed of externals worked on the renovation together. Jan Roelof Kooreman was involved on behalf of Realisation Management. “It was a nice and challenging project, encompassing all building disciplines: electrical engineering, architecture and construction. And all of this in a relatively small space and with limited time. The users were very engaged with the renovation, but also trusted the project team to do a good job.”
A multi-faceted space for practicals and research
The anatomic lab is mainly used for practicals. The lab welcomes thousands of guests annually, mostly Bachelor’s students of three faculties: Medicine, Behavioural and Movement Sciences, and the Faculty of Science. Staff being trained at Amsterdam UMC (in the context of the Amstel Academy) and residents training to be specialists also regularly receive education in the dissecting room. Finally, we play host to universities of applied sciences and other educational institutions that do not have their own dissecting rooms.
Students study the human anatomy using human tissue preparations, plastic models, reference books and various digital means. Thanks to new technology, less and less human tissue is needed to teach this subject matter well.
The anatomic lab also arranges material for research, which typically takes place elsewhere.
VU Amsterdam first university to use new, safe embalming method
The most common way of embalming a body is to use formaldehyde. The downside of this liquid is that it may involve health risks for the employees using it on a daily basis. In the renovated anatomic lab, the latest technologies were used to install a drainage system to safely store and dispose of the formaldehyde, so it can be processed in an environmentally friendly manner at another location.
VU Amsterdam will also be the first university in the Netherlands to start working with a new embalming method in its new lab, using only a minimal amount of formaldehyde. The new containers, pumps and storage facilities have been set up accordingly. This makes our new anatomic lab innovative and suitable for long-time use.
Satisfied users
The first practicals have now been given. “The initial response has been positive,” says Alexander Bijnsdorp. “Colleagues are particularly pleased with the colours and the look and feel, but also with the new way of working.”
In May, there was a festive opening in the presence of staff and other stakeholders. Ysbrand van der Werf, Head of Department and brain researcher at Amsterdam UMC, VUmc location gave a speech. Eliane Kaaij, head of the anatomic laborary, said a word of thanks.