TUESDAY AFTERNOON AALAS 73RD NATIONAL MEETING
PANEL DISCUSSIONS AALAS and FELASA: Global Nature of Research
12:30 PM - 2:00 PM Leader/Moderator: Scott A Mischler Facilitator: TBN Panelist: Scott A Mischler, Marc S Hulin, Belen Pintado The Laboratory Animal Science (LAS) community represented by the Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations (FELASA) in Europe and the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) in the United States have been working together to harmonize animal care and research recommendations. This session will provide an overview of the structure and relationship between FELASA and AALAS, and the value of this harmonization effort to the laboratory animal community. Brief updates on ongoing joint activities of the associations will be presented. Finally, there will be ample time provided for Panel and Audience participation to explore future collaborative efforts between the associations.
Emerging Role of Translational Digital Biomarkers in Home Cage Monitoring Technologies for Preclinical Drug Discovery and Development
12:30 PM - 2:00 PM Leader/Moderator: Megan R LaFollette Facilitator: Sally Thompson-Iritani Panelist: Matthew Ruiter, Eleanor M Karlsson, Angela P King-Herbert, Sheba R Churchill, Szczepan W Baran In drug discovery and development, traditional assessment of patients and preclinical subjects occurs at limited time points in unnatural and stressful surroundings (i.e., the clinic or a test arena), potentially impacting data and welfare. Recent advances in remote digital monitoring technologies enable the assessment of patients and preclinical subjects across multiple time points in familiar surroundings. This provides a more relevant and efficient diagnosis by monitoring disease progression and better assessing drug efficacy and safety. For in vivo animal models, these digital technologies allow for continuous, longitudinal, and non-invasive monitoring in the home cage. This panel discussion will provide an overview of digital monitoring technologies, including the history and evolution of the technology, current engagement through use cases, and the impact of digital biomarkers on drug discovery and the 3Rs. We will discuss barriers and solutions to implementation and adoption, as well as data consistency and technology standards from the perspective of technology providers, end-users, and regulators. Overall, this presentation establishes an improved understandingofthevalueandimplementationofdigitalbiomarker technologies in research. The target audiences for this presentation are researchers, research support staff, IACUC members, animal care staff, veterinarians, and vivarium managers that are interested in translational digital biomarkers. This Panel Discussion is sponsored in part by The North American 3Rs Collaborative (NA3RsC).
the emotions of those working in animal facilities form a key part of their work. The way that staff in all roles manage their emotions with one another can lead them to care for their animals deeply. But when appropriate outlets, support, or recognition of their emotional challenges are not provided, institutional work and culture can be affected, leading to the hallmarks of compassion fatigue: emotional burn-out, sickness, and stress. The Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated the emotional dissonance felt by care staff as institutional strategies stretched the reality and efficacy of their care. In this session, three speakers will introduce key approaches to emotion-work and invite the audience to engage with and reflect on the complex emotions involved in animal care. We will consider the value of emotional labor and how staff can be supported to deal with challenges, including grief and loss. The session extends the ideas discussed in the session Emotional Labor at AALAS, Denver 2019. Through interactive tools and facilitated discussion, experts in this field will lead a conversation about dealing with the tricky, emotionally focused aspects of care and think deeply about providing necessary support. Issues associated with the current pandemic might emerge. Group discussion can help us explore our own and understand different approaches to see emotionally challenging work and care as an asset, rather than a cost, of working in an animal facility. Those familiar with and new to this topic will have the opportunity to share experiences in approaching the emotional dimensions of animal care work. They will learn new ways to work with care, emotional labor, and compassion fatigue. The target audience includes animal facility managers, veterinarians, and technical staff.
Responsibilities, Realities, and Rollercoasters for the Veterinary Technician in a Non-Human Primate Facility
12:30 PM - 2:00 PM Leader/Moderator: Victoria R Elam Facilitator: Beth Ann Skiles Panelist: Joanna M Swerczek, Jodi M Ternes, Diana Medina, Madison S Wheaton This panel discussion will present opportunities, challenges, and experiences working with NHPs from the viewpoint of the veterinary technician, support specialist, and carestaff. Topics discussed include ideal clinical round methods to reduce errors and maximize efficiency, safety for humans and animals, animal care and use protocol consultation, risk mitigation, species-specific care needs, and complex social behaviors. Additionally, there will be discussion on how technicians can best prepare for research project support, logistical concerns, housing specifics, animal stress reduction, and self-injurious behavior reduction enrichment plans. NHPs are unique in the relationships that their carestaff develop with them. Learning their personalities and recognizing their unique behaviors allows for the best possible care and research environment. However, carestaff must be aware of the effects of their own behaviors, mental wellness states, and emotional investment as they care for these amazing animals. The target audience is veterinary technicians, caretakers, husbandry staff, veterinarians, and others supporting research with NHPs. This Panel Discussion is sponsored in part by Academy of Laboratory Animal Veterinary Technicians and Nurses.
Emotional Labor: An Interactive Discussion
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12:30 PM - 2:00 PM Leader: Annabella J Williams Moderator: Kathryn Bayne Facilitators: Paula A Clifford, Matthew J Gallacher Panelist: Annabella J Williams, Keith Davies, Anneke Keizer Emotional labor is experienced when a professional's work necessitates showing feelings that may be at odds with their own true emotionsandexperiences.Frequentlyoverlookedandundervalued, AnimalWelfare,RegulatoryCompliance,andPublicEducation
BiomedicalResearch,Medicine,andMethodology
Exhibit Hall Refreshment Break! 2:00 p.m.– 4:00 p.m. Sponsored by Bio-Serv
Facility Design, Management, and Operations Oncology
