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THURSDAY MORNING WORKSHOPS
AAL AS 71 st N AT I ON AL MEET I N G
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W-14 Science Outreach with a Link to Research
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM/Room: 210B
Leaders: Julie K Kent Faculty: NA Facilitator: Lindsay S Morgan Workshop Fee: $150 Workshop Limit: 50
It is often a challenge to talk about the benefits of animal research with audiences of mixed ages. This workshop provides training for multiple science experiments and activities that can be tailored to fit audiences of any age. Incorporate your own research interests to personalize your presentation and learn how to modify your talking points to perform the same experiment with elementary, middle, or high school students. Learn how to teach students about the components of their blood and discuss how animal research has helped create treatments for blood-related disorders. Learn to discuss antibodies and antigens and lead an interactive classroom activity to help kids understand more about our immune system, share some of the ways that animals have inspired new technology, and more! Learn how to personalize your own science outreach lesson to be able to share how animal research has impacted an illness or disease that is of interest to you. Participants will leave with resources and information that will allow them to feel comfortable sharing the benefits of animal research with a variety of age groups. The targeted audience is anyone interested in outreach with K-12 students.
discussion of how standard facility processes and procedures were adapted to meet study-specific requirements. Participants will learn from the technical approaches taken in these real-world scenarios, which could be cross-applied in other situations. The discussion session will encourage audience sharing and provide additional perspective for attendees. This seminar targets managers, veterinarians, research scientists, and program administrators. While foundational concepts in gnotobiotics will not be directly covered, the discussion of real-world problems will be highly informative to both seasoned veterans and those that might become involved in gnotobiotics.
Speakers/Topics: 8:00
Alton G Swennes
Welcome and Introductions
8:05
Stephanie W Fowler
Technical Challenges of Performing Gnotobiotic Oncology Studies in Flexible Film Isolators
8:20
Joshua M Frost
Thinking Outside the Isolator: Using Positive Pressure Caging to Expand Technical Capabilities
8:35
Allison Rogala
Rederivation and Procurement of Gnotobiotic Mice
9:50
Alton G Swennes
Systemic Approaches to Risk Assessment and Break Management
10:05
Betty R Theriault
Programmatic Adaptations for Human and Mouse Fecal Transplant Studies
This Workshop is sponsored in part by Quip Laboratories, Inc. u
W-15 Technician to Supervisor: Management 101
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM/Room: 202B
Leader/Faculty: Stephen F Baker Facilitator: TBN Workshop Fee: $150 Workshop Limit: 50
When you excel at a technical skill or provide superior husbandry/support, individuals are often rewarded with a promotion that expands their role and responsibilities to include managing others. Individuals whose primary focus/expertise are animals are requested to change gears and channel their soft skills. This workshop will provide an overview of key competencies to support a successful transition. Topics will include performance management, effective communication, how to handle conflict, coaching versus delegating, and what it means to be a leader. This workshop will take participants through various exercises, role plays, and what-if scenarios to provide take-aways that can be applied back at work. The targeted audience includes new supervisors or first-level managers. If you are new to the world of managing others or contemplating getting into management, you do not want to miss this workshop. This Workshop is sponsored in part by Pfizer, Inc.
SEMINARS m
Overcoming Challenges in Gnotobiotics
8:00 AM - 10:15 AM/Room: Ballroom A
Leaders: Alton G Swennes, Betty R Theriault Moderator: Lucy H Kennedy Facilitator: Christopher T Southern
Gnotobiotics facilities encounter numerous technical challenges due to the need for microbial exclusion and the use of specialized equipment. This seminar is designed to present the audience with technical challenges faced in three of the largest academic rodent gnotobiotics programs in the United States. Presentations will outline specific problems faced in these facilities and how they were ultimately addressed. This will include challenges in implementation of positive pressure IVC systems, the use of rederivation to generate germ-free mouse lines, and a
Raising the Next Generation of Lab Animal Professionals m
8:00 AM - 10:15 AM/Room: Ballroom B
Leader/Moderator: Judy M Hickman-Davis Facilitator: Toi A Collins
Employment of veterinarians, veterinary assistants, and animal caretakers in the laboratory setting is predicted to grow 18-19%, resulting in good job opportunities. The ability to recruit and retain lab animal care providers is essential for providing quality animal care. The opportunity to introduce lab animal care as a profession early in the education process can open the door for identifying quality individuals. Involvement in community programs for high school students provides an opportunity for discussion about careers supporting animal welfare and science. Veterinary technical schools include lab animal medicine as part of their training and partnering with these colleges to host externships can serve as a source for trained veterinary technicians. The availability of undergraduate students for fullor part-time animal care support can serve a dual purpose of filling a workforce need while introducing rewarding career options. The American Society for Lab Animal Practitioners (ASLAP) provides resources and programs for veterinary students and veterinarians in the form of scholarships, student chapter support, lectures, summer fellowships, and contacts for training programs. The opportunity for graduate student training in animal welfare and public policy promotes a better understanding of the human-animal interaction and fills the gap for necessary regulatory support. This session will review practices at academic institutions for introducing lab animal medicine to high school students, veterinary technicians, undergraduates, veterinary students, and graduate students. Opportunities to engage area high school students and veterinary technical colleges, utilization of undergraduate students as part of the essential workforce, the role of ASLAP in veterinary student and veterinarian training, and graduate training opportunity will be discussed. The target audience for this seminar is animal program directors, veterinarians, and facility managers/supervisors. Anyone who might be involved in public outreach, employee recruitment, veterinary student or technician education can benefit from this seminar.
qAnimal Welfare, Regulatory Compliance, and Public Education vBiomedical Research, Medicine, and Methodology uFacility Design, Management, and Operation m Overcoming Challenges