The Division of Animal Welfare within the Veterinary Public Health Institute of the University of Bern (UBERN) is a leader in assessing animal health and welfare. The university is involved in multiple EU projects. The research group supervised by Dr. Toscano operates as a collaboration between UBERN and the Swiss Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO), a branch of the Swiss government responsible for monitoring and implementing national animal welfare policies. 

The team is experienced in tracking of individual laying hens in aviaries and outdoor areas by RFID and in assessing the health and welfare status of hens by using radiographs, plumage scoring, and scoring of toe-pecking wounds. Toe-pecking is the field of expertise of Dr. Gebhrardt. 

In addition, movement patterns are visualized and analysed in relation to health and welfare issues of individual laying hens. 

They cooperate with the main suppliers of layer genetics and studies on genotyped hens.