Strategies to Improve Personnel Management
Presented by
Jori Leszczynski, DVM, DACLAM
Personnel management—when done well—has always required time and effort, especially in a highly regulated environment such as animal research. This has been made even harder with the significant societal shifts over the past few years with challenges related to in-person communication, training, and requests for increased flexibility of schedules.
Watch the webinar →Webinars
Sterilization Solutions Webinar
Presented by:
Tyler Caron, DVM
Jacquelyn Stathopoulos, MS, LATg
Though an integral part of research protocols, the selection and integration of a sterilization device can often pose significant challenges to facilities seeking the right equipment to work within their space and satisfy their research objectives. As new and improved products enter the market, decision-makers also need to choose a solution that will fit their budget as well as their need. This month, Allentown partners with the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard for a review of the choices and challenges they faced when selecting and implementing a sterilizer for their gnotobiotics program.
The ABCs of LAA
Presented by
Dr. Tim Mandrell
Allentown partners with board certified laboratory animal veterinarian Dr. Tim Mandrell to present a webinar focused on this important topic, and including sources of laboratory animal allergy; conditions and procedures that increase the risk of personnel for exposure; and methods for avoiding or minimizing exposure through administrative procedures, engineering controls, and the use or personal protective equipment.
An Easy Solution: Single-Use Caging
Presented by
Dana E. Weir
Scott Hoy
Research facilities know the value of their animals and their research, and require housing options when considering the best and most effective ways in which to ensure the health and success of both. And whether the need is for facility wide installations, or options for satellite facilities, quarantine, BSL-2, or washroom disruption situations, single-use - or disposable - caging has come to the fore in recent years as a viable solution. This month, Allentown partners with the University of Missouri-Columbia to present a webinar on the choices available to researchers, and the specific way in which this facility employed single-use caging during a building renovation.
Fewer Animals. Better Results.
Presented by
Darya Mailhiot, DVM
Dr. Patrick Hardy, DVM, DipECLAM, Exec. MBA
Historically, research facilities have employed soiled-bedding sentinel animals to help monitor the health status of their rodent colonies. Because this method has, over the years, been tested and found to be less effective than previously believed, Allentown and Charles River Laboratories worked together to develop the Exhaust Air Dust collection methodology – or EAD® – a system that does not require soiled-bedding sentinel animals. Instead, it captures and samples the aggregate exhaust air from the IVC using a patented collection media that attracts dust particles but doesn't load like a filter or impact airflow. This new protocol has been twice tested by the University of Chicago and found to decrease the number of sentinel animals needed, increase the efficiency and number of agents detected, and reduce the overall cost of sentinel programs. This month, Allentown and the University of Chicago will present a webinar to review their research and discuss the history of sentinel programs – past, present, and future.
Ergonomic High Density Animal Research Facilities (Session 2)
Presented by
Josh Meyer, AIA
Dr. George DeMarco MS, DVM, DACLAM
Edward Jaskolski, BS, RLATg, CMAR
Brian Bilecki, BSME
In this session Josh Meyer, Dr. George DeMarco and Edward Jaskolski will discuss the overall considerations necessary for planning an ergonomic and efficient high capacity rodent vivarium. Specifics will include designing for animal husbandry and welfare requirements such as daily heath checks, cage changing and staging of materials while considering researchers needs to access their animals during daily animal care operations. Brian Bilecki will discuss the specifics of maximum capacity IVC units, their design differences and similarities to traditional IVC units, their components, operation and application within a maximum density vivarium design.
Ergonomic High Density Animal Research Facilities (Session 1)
Presented by
Marcie Dorsett, CMAR, RLATG
Brian Bilecki, BSME
In this session Marcie Dorsett will address the challenges that she and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center faced in trying to expand their research programs, without expanding their research space. Using a Q&A format, Allentown and Ms. Dorsett will discuss the capacity requirements that needed to be met, and how those requirements were ultimately satisfied. Following the Q&A, Brian Bilecki will discuss how he and his Vivarium Design Services team worked with Texas Tech to analyze their available space, and ultimately advise them to satisfy their capacity requirements through the implementation of the MAX High Density IVC System.