AAL AS 71 st N AT I ON AL MEET I N G
34
F acility
design , management , and operation
Erin Yu
Electronic Medical Records, Easy or Not So Easy
Joseph D Thulin
Task Management: There’s an App for That
Ravi J Tolwani
The Rodent Fitbit
Carrie L Freed
Sanitation with Cage Washers and Robots, the Lessons Learned
u The TNPRC Regional Biosafety Laboratory: A Vital National Resource Speaker: Edwin S Kreitlein Moderator: Luis M Zorrila Facilitator: TBN
In February, the Tulane National Primate Research Center (TNPRC) became one of the first research facilities in the nation to receive authorization from the CDC to obtain specimens of SARS-CoV-2, the virus known as COVID-19. With more than 142,600 confirmed cases in 135 countries with at least 5,400 deaths by the mid-March 2019, this highly infectious virus has rapidly become a threat to health across the globe. All the work associated with the virus conducted at the TNPRC will be performed in the Regional Biosafety Laboratory (RBL). As the largest facility of its kind in the nation, this highly sophisticated, NHP, biomedical research facility was designed to the requirements of ABSL-3 design guidelines established by the NIH and the CDC. The facility has played an important role in the discovery of vaccines developed to support the health programs of the country, including research on the coronavirus. This presentation will focus on key components of the RBL, and how they work together to assist staff to complete the important tasks they necessarily need to execute. Completing these tasks are done so under extremely strenuous working conditions. Among the items that will be discussed are an aerobiology suite, telemetry monitoring, surgical functions, pathology, cage processing and sterilization, tissue digestion, lab functions, and sustainability/energy saving applications. Planning concepts, images, and details will be shared with attendees by the lead lab planner who was involved in the realization of this extremely important national resource from the generation of the grant that funded the facility to its inception. Participants will learn about the nuances of designing a facility of this complex nature, and in so doing obtain a understanding and appreciation for their role in the research and discovery of solutions that prevent the costly impact that emerging infectious diseases have on humanity.
When the Odds Are not in Your Favor: Lessons Learned from Small-scale Disasters with Large-scale Implications u
Leaders: Lesley A Colby, Lois A Zitzow Moderator: Lesley A Colby Facilitator: Emily S Reimold
Disasters happen. Yet when most lab animal professionals plan for disasters, they envision large-scale natural disasters such as hurricanes, wide-spread flooding, and earthquakes. The likelihood that these disasters will occur is partially determined by geography and, thankfully, happen infrequently. In contrast, small-scale disasters can and do occur at multiple institutions each year. Like large-scale events, these local incidents can endanger human health and animal welfare and can significantly disrupt animal research and facility operations. Managing these disruptions can be especially challenging when staff are expected to relocate animals and maintain normal operations in unaffected areas. In addition, without a clearly recognizable large-scale event, institutions and local authorities may struggle in determining their respective roles and responsibilities while managing isaster response. Participants will learn important concepts and strategies regarding disaster planning and management as speakers describe recent disasters affecting their animal facilities. The seminar emphasizes what personnel can do now to best prepare for and then manage small-scale disasters. The target audience includes animal husbandry, management, and veterinary care personnel, as well as biosafety professionals.
Speakers/Topics: Lesley A Colby
Welcome and Introduction
Lesley A Colby
Too Hot to Handle: Breach of Radioactive Source Materials during Irradiator Decommissioning
Richard B Huneke
It All Started with a Spark: How an Animal Facility Storeroom Fire Disrupted Research for Six Months
John N Norton
When It All Goes Boom: A Case Study of the Unexpected Disaster
Lois A Zitzow
(Almost) at the Epicenter: the SARS-Cov-2 Outbreak in Singapore
qAnimal Welfare, Regulatory Compliance, and Public Education vBiomedical Research, Medicine, and Methodology uFacility Design, Management, and Operation m Overcoming Challenges