Excellence in Microsurgical Techniques Training - Kaha Telemetry

Date: Monday 6th July - Wednesday 8th July 2026

Location: René Remie Surgical Skills Centre (RRSSC), Almere, NL

Cost: €3910 or £3400

This course is designed for you if:

• You're a scientist new to microsurgery and the Kaha Sciences telemetry system.

• You want to refine your surgical techniques for chronic physiological monitoring.

• You need expert guidance on recording and analyzing high-fidelity data using LabChart.

The course host, René Remie speaks several languages including Dutch, English, French and German. Any one-to-one instruction can take place in your chosen/native language.

What we will cover:

• Overview of the Kaha system applications and workstation setup.
• Good Surgical Practice (GSP): Detailed instruction on asepsis, instrument handling, and selecting proper suture materials.
• Anaesthesia and analgesia: Specialized rodent protocols and peri-operative care to maintain stable physiological states.
• Initial microsurgical training: Suturing techniques on models and basic peritoneal cavity implantation in rats.
• Vascular Access: Implantation of rat pressure catheters into the abdominal aorta or carotid artery for blood pressure monitoring.
• Biopotential Signals: Precise placement of leads for ECG, EEG, and EMG.
• Refinement & Troubleshooting: Techniques for securing transmitters and routing leads to prevent migration.
• Data Optimization: Tips for maximizing signal quality and extending transmitter battery life.
• Independent Execution: A solo implantation session (Vascular + Biopotential) from start to finish with expert supervision.
• Advanced Vessel Cannulation: Practice at alternative sites to broaden surgical versatility.
• Data Validation: Connecting to the SmartPad/tBase to achieve "The Clean Trace" by distinguishing biological noise from interference.
• Hardware Lifecycle: Hands-on practice with telemeter explantation, sterilization, and "re-gelling" pressure catheters.
• Troubleshooting Clinic: Roundtable discussion on specific research hurdles (e.g., chronic 6-month vs. acute studies) and certification.

Your Trainers

Professor Rene Remie 

Prof. René Remie is the author and editor of the Manual of Microsurgery on the Laboratory Rat. In 1983 he specialised in pharmacology and did his PhD on the presynaptic modulation of noradrenergic neurotransmission in the portal vein of the freely moving rat.

In 1990 he co-founded the Microsurgical Developments Foundation and is currently still chairman. In 1991, he specialised in Laboratory Animal Science and Welfare, and worked for nineteen years as a Laboratory Animal Scientist and Welfare Officer at Solvay Pharmaceuticals.

From 1997 to 2012 he held a chair on Microsurgery and Experimental Techniques in Laboratory Animals at the Groningen Centre for Drug Research, University of Groningen, the Netherlands. In 2002 he co-founded the International Microsurgical Training Centre, and was its Scientific Director and course leader. In 2009, he started the René Remie Surgical Skills Centre where he is the course leader. He is an experienced instructor for over 35 years.

Irene Cuesta, MSc 

Irene Cuesta studied biology at the University of Jaén (Spain). She worked at the Department of Physiology of the same university on an in-vivo assay with gliomas in rats. Subsequently, she worked at the Laboratory of CAR Madrid to analyze blood samples of top athletes. She also holds a BSc in physiotherapy and an MSc in manual therapy. Since 2018, she has been the assistant of Prof. René Remie at RRSSC. In 2020, she reached the level of a senior instructor. As of January 2024, she is the Director of RRSSC. 

She specialized in many microsurgical and general techniques, i.e. anatomy, suturing, intubation, telemetry implantations, vascular and non-vascular catheterizations, myocardial infarction models, stereotaxic surgery, and more. She has experience in rats, mice, hamsters, and guinea pigs. Irene is also a gifted archer, was a multiple Spanisch Champion Women Compound, and was the Spanish Paralympic team coach at the 2012 and 2016 games in London and Rio de Janeiro. She is also an international classifier for World Archery.