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Institute of Animal TechnologyBulletinVol 55 No 3 March 2019TECH MONTH –IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU!!

EDITOR*Carole Wilsonbulletineditor@iat.org.ukASSISTANT EDITOR*Karen Dunfordbulletinassistant@iat.org.ukADVERTISEMENTMANAGERSPRC Associates Ltdmail@prcassoc.co.ukPublished monthly by theInstitute of Animal Technology*Registered Office:5 South ParadeSummertownOxfordOX2 7JLISSN 0263-2861For enquiries other thanBulletin related contact:IAT ADMINISTRATOR*admin@iat.org.ukor 0800 085 4380BulletinVol 55 No 3 March 2019Final copy date forMay Bulletin1st AprilThe opinions expressed in theBulletin do not necessarily reflectthose of the Editor or theInstitute.CONTENTSDear Readers 5Tech Month 7Council Meeting 9-11Congress Information 13Congress Trade Passport 15CompetitionCaption Competition Winner 17Maxwell Knight Commemorative 19-27SymposiumSteve Moore Memorial Poster 29CompetitionAS-ET News 31-33Branch News 35-48NC3Rs Resource 50-51The Gallery 52-55Dispatches 56-57NIO Forum 59Diary Dates 63

BulletinMarch 2019• 5DDeeaarr RReeaaddeerrssAnimal Technologist Month is finally upon usand to recognise that, this month’s Bulletin is largelyabout people and what they have been up to. I hopeeveryone is busy organising events – see page 7 forideas and don’t forget to get establishmentsinvolved, having them recognising all the valuablework that technicians play in the workplace. I hopeyou all have a great time and look forward tohearing about, and publishing all the reports of yourvarious activities.One of the suggestions is to run a quiz and that is exactly what the IAT isdoing – hosting an online quiz, so start participating, as there are prizesup for grabs! Need a bit of further inspiration? Have a look at thewinning entry of BING caption competition on page 17.Elsewhere, many of the Branches have been busy, the Midlands Branchheld its AGM and followed that with a talk from a “Street Vet”, these arevets that help the pets of the homeless, this sounded like a fascinatingtalk – read the report on pages 47-48. The Cambridge, Huntingdon,Norfolk and Suffolk Branches held their annual joint symposium with apresentation about CRISPR technologies, a raffle and a debate, all veryinformative and great fun, have a look, on pages 41-45.In other news, AS-ET have announced the 2018 educational prize winners.Congratulations to Kelly Simpson, Adam Johnson and Samantha Izzard,very well done. This is a fantastic charity which supports our industry’stechnicians in a wide variety of ways. There are lots of ways to support AS-ET, become an official sponsor or perhaps run, as David Mayo is doing.See pages 31-33.Last, but by no means least, I hope we have all remembered that nextmonth is Congress. I hope to see you all there it’s going to be a good one!Until next time, happy reading!CCaarroollee

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BulletinMarch 2019• 9IAT Council meeting Wednesday 30th January 2019Introduction to Laboratory Animal Science, Technology and Welfare(ILASTW)Complementary copies of the ILASTW are now being sent out to studentsregistering for Level 2 qualifications from 1st October 2018 on receipt of theirregistration fee. New IAT Membership DatabaseCouncil agreed that a new membership database will be purchased. Electronictransfer of data will begin in early 2019, with a view to the changeover beingcomplete by mid-2019. The new database is supported by the Royal Society ofBiology and will allow members to update their personal details, includinguploading their CPD records. Further details will be available on the IAT standduring Congress 2019, will also be published in the Bulletin and via e-newsletters as various functionality releases are launched.Council ElectionsThere were no additional non-Council candidates standing for election toCouncil for 2019/20. Therefore, there is no requirement for an election and thefollowing eight Council members will be proposed at the AGM for a period ofthree years:Matt Bilton Simon CummingSteven Cubitt Haley DanielsGlyn Fisher Linda HoranElaine Kirkum Steve OwenIAT AGMThe IAT AGM will take place at Congress 2019, on Tuesday 9th April at 18.00hours. The AGM notice has been published in the January Bulletin.FELASA 2019IAT representatives will be attending FELASA 2019 to man the IAT/EFAT stand.Three speakers from the IAT will be taking part in the Wednesday CPD day fortechnicians at FELASA.

Bulletin10 •March 2019Tech MonthThe Comms Group have been working on Tech Month which will take placeduring March. Quizzes will be offered on the IAT website, with prizes of IATmerchandise. Details are available on the IAT website and social media and willalso be highlighted at Branch AGMs.AST2020Preparations for the joint IAT/LASA/LAVA meeting in 2020 are now wellunderway. A trade exhibitors meeting will take place on Monday 29th April2019 in Central London, and registrations for AST2020 will open on 1st May2019. Further details are available on the AST2020 website –https://www.ast2020.org/. You can also register your interest on the AST2020website so that you will be the first to hear updates and receive informationregarding the event.IAT 70th Anniversary in 2020The IAT will celebrate its 70th Anniversary in 2020 and to mark this event andthe 10th Anniversary of AS-ET (Animals in Science Education Trust), a Ball willtake place on Saturday 21st November 2020. Further details will be available indue course and will be published in the Bulletin, on the IAT website and viasocial media.Other events to celebrate the 70th Anniversary will also be taking place, detailsof which will be on the IAT website as they become available.IAT Graduation Ceremony 3rd July 2019The IAT Graduation Ceremony for those achieving their IAT HE Levels 4, 5 and 6qualifications, will take place on 3rd July 2019, preceded by a Stakeholdersmeeting in the morning. The Graduation Ceremony is an excellent opportunityfor those who have undertaken IAT qualifications to have their hard workrecognised by their employers, family and friends.IAT Membership Elections (MIAT)The list of names of those who have applied to be awarded MIAT status needto go before IAT Council, are subject to formal election and should be recordedin the minutes accordingly.

BulletinMarch 2019• 11Applications for MIAT status have been received from:Mrs Claire PrestonMiss Carla FoleyMr Peter HootonMiss Micah DupontMr Luke GurneyMr Toby SandersMrs Laura SteelAll of these applicants have submitted a form, which has been checked. Theyhave passed their Level 3 qualification, along with a Handling & Sexingelement and are paid up members of the IAT. As such, Council approved all theapplications and Council congratulates all those uplifting their membershipstatus.The next meeting of the IAT Council will take place in March 2019.MIAT AwardsMIAT AwardsIAT Council are delighted to announce that the following members haveupgraded their IAT membership, being elected as a full voting memberand can now use the designatory letters MIAT:Micah Dupont Carla Foley Luke GurneyPeter Hooton Claire Preston Toby SandersLaura SteelCongratulations to all on their achievement.Anyone who has obtained their Level 3 IAT qualification, along with aPractical Animal Handling & Health Module can apply for MIAT status.Further details on requirements and how to apply can be found on theIAT website or from the IAT Administrator (admin@iat.org.uk)

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WHAT OUR EXHIBITORS DO BEST!INTERACTING AND INSPIRINGwww.iat.org.uk/congress and find us onPROVISIONAL SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMMEINDUSTRY INVOLVEMENTO We have a fantastic variety of TradeExhibitors from all areas of ourindustry – so take advantage of theirexpertise and knowledgeCOMMERCIAL WORKSHOPSO SIX Exhibitors will talk on diversesubjects – so don’t miss theopportunity of attending at least oneon Wednesday starting at 10.00 hrsand running throughout the dayFLASH TRADE PRESENTATIONSO How much fun can you have in 25minutes? Before the CommercialWorkshops start – Come along towatch the 1 minute presentations onWednesday morning at 09.05TRADE PASSPORT COMPETITIONSO See further information in this issueCONGRESS APPO The Congress App is available NOWExpect an email in your inbox forfurther details to download itCheck for updates www.iat.org.ukDownload this bookletfrom the websiteCPD WORKSHOPREGISTRATIONS ARE OPENBOOK YOUR PLACE NOWVenue –North West EnglandTo discuss any aspect of Congress or if you have any questions for theCongress Committeecongress@iat.org.uk

BulletinMarch 2019• 15Congress 2019 Trade Passport CompetitionWIN – COLD, HARD CASH!Now into its 8th year, once again the Exhibitors have worked alongside theCongress Committee to be able to run this brilliant competition. This year there are notone but TWO prizes of £150 cash to be won.One cash prize is guaranteed to be won by a 1st time attendee and the other is open toall delegates.To be in with a chance of winning the money, all you have to do is get the participatingcompany logos signed off by one of their team on each exhibition stand and hand inthe completed ‘Passport’ to Nicky Windows at the Datesand booth.You must return it to Nicky by the end of the refreshment breakon Thursday morning (11th April). The winners will receive their prize before the end of theCongress.This is a great excuse to speak to some of the trade thatyou may not otherwise have had cause to speak to …and they may have some enticing giveaways for you too.When you arrive at Congress and receive your Congressbag, you will find your Passport in it.If you don’t have one, just ask at the Congress Receptionfor a replacement and then get entering!Last year’s winners were Rebecca Shaw from MRC andWaldemar Woznica from Plymouth University who canbe seen below receiving their iPad minis – look howmade up they were! You too could leaveCongress this yearricher botheducationallyandfinancially!

LBS Welcome a New Team Member

BulletinMarch 2019• 17Caption Competition Winner“Kev, do yousmell bacon?”Congratulations to Sophie Reid who submitted the winningcaption for the BING Caption Competition held last year andwho will receive a £50 voucher. The winning caption, as votedfor by Council, as attached to the picture.Thank you to everyone who took part in this competition. Pleasekeep your eyes peeled for any follow up caption competition inthe future.Lynda WestallBranch and BING Liaison Officer

BulletinMarch 2019• 19The Maxwell Knight CommemorativeSymposiumBy John and Margaret Cooper Wildlife Health Services (UK)ngagi2@gmail.comMaxwell Knight (1900-1968) was an all-round naturalist, with vast experienceof animals, both in the wild and in captivity. Through his writings and his radioand television broadcasts he influenced tens of thousands of people, especiallyyoungsters.

Bulletin20 •March 2019The Maxwell KnightCommemorative Symposiumwas held on Saturday 24thNovember 2018 marking the50th anniversary of MaxwellKnight’s death. It provided anopportunity for thoseinterested in natural history,the humane care of animals incaptivity and environmentalissues to learn more aboutMaxwell Knight’s life. Held atBirkbeck College (GordonSquare annex) in London, andorganised by the BritishHerpetological Society (BHS),the symposium was alsogenerously supported by theBritish Chelonia Group (BCG),the Amateur EntomologistsSociety (AES), the Institute ofAnimal Technology (IAT), theFrightened Face of Nature(FFON) and others.There were over 90 attendeesfrom a variety of backgroundsand interests. Each registrantreceived a delegate’s packcontaining information aboutMaxwell Knight, a copy of theprogramme and educationalmaterial provided by differentconservation and naturalhistory bodies.A whole seminar room was setaside for exhibits. The BritishHerpetological Society, theBritish Chelonia Group, theAmateur Entomologists’ Societyand the Institute of AnimalTechnology displayed

BulletinMarch 2019• 21information and wares relatingto their work. Other exhibits included naturalhistory photographs, Haith’sliterature about their bird foodproducts, a complete set ofbooks written by MaxwellKnight and specimens from theMaxwell Knight Collectionincluding long-lost manuscriptsfrom his original filing cabinet. The programme includedlectures and interactivesessions. The first session waschaired by Mrs Margaret ECooper. The initial speaker,Professor John E Cooper,discussed “Maxwell Knight thenaturalist”, recalling how, as ayoung naturalist in the 1950sand 60s, he was taught andencouraged by Maxwell Knight.John was followed by Mr SimonKing who spoke about“Maxwell Knight the spy-master”. Simon pointed outthat while to listeners of hisBBC radio broadcasts, MaxwellKnight was the avuncular fieldnaturalist and avid keeper ofanimals including at differenttimes a bear, a baboon, reptilesand parrots, to those withinMI5, he was ‘M’ – “Britain’sgreatest spymaster”. Thecountry owed a great deal tothe spy who loved nature’.There were then accounts bypeople who either knewMaxwell Knight or who were

Bulletin24 •March 2019influenced by him; these included a video interview of Mark Rose, CEO ofFauna and Flora International (FFI), written and pictorial tributes from Mr JohnBurton, formerly of the BBC, who worked closely with Maxwell Knight andreminiscences from Mr Graham Wellstead and Mrs Norma Chapman. Theaccounts closed with a short lecture by Dr June Chatfield, detailing the manylinks between Maxwell Knight and the Haslemere Museum in Surrey. The next lecture, “The frightened face of nature: challenge facing the planet”by Mr Paul Pearce-Kelly, Zoological Society of London, was the concludingpresentation of the first session. He explained graphically the worldwidethreats to biodiversity and species’ survival, with particular reference to coralreef ecosystems. There has been a succession of coral bleaching events inrecent years induced by climate change. Reefs are sensitive to elevatedatmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). There could be a viable future for corals;

BulletinMarch 2019• 25Paul referred to work by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), including fieldstudies in British Indian Ocean Territories.The lecture by Paul and subsequent talks were prefaced by readings,delivered by Simon King, reflecting the writings and thoughts of MaxwellKnight. During the refreshment break,as at the beginning of thesymposium, some of MaxwellKnight’s early (1950s) black-and-white films were shownand attendees were able tospend more time looking atthe various exhibits anddisplays.John Cooper chaired thesecond half of the programme.The first lecture was entitled“Conservation and captive-breeding projects involvingchelonians” and was deliveredby Ms Anne Rowberry of theBritish Chelonia Group (BCG).She gave examples, fromdifferent parts of the world, ofwhere the British CheloniaGroup has been able to fundand support local people andvisiting researchers in a varietyof measures relating to landtortoises, terrapins and seaturtles. Such conservationstrategies are often not easy tointroduce and implement butare essential if some speciesare not to disappear for ever.Anne Rowberry’s presentationwas followed by a lectureentitled “Advances in thehealth and welfare of captive

Bulletin26 •March 2019animals” by MrAlan Graham,Institute of AnimalTechnology. Alanoutlined his owncareer in animalcare. He trained asan animaltechnician, hasworked at a zooand has alwayskept animals ofhis own, rangingfrom snakes todogs. He stressedhow animaltechnology hasevolved in recentyears. Thoseinvolved in such work undergo both theoretical and practical training andmembers and fellows enjoy a high professional status; they help ensure thatanimals kept and used in biomedical research are properly housed, maintainedand used. Many animal technologists are active in other relevant fieldsincluding work in zoos and conservation and education.The finalformalpresentationwas on thesubject of“Engaging thenextgeneration:culture, careandconservation”,given jointly byMr DafyddLewis and MsVictoriaBurton,AmateurEntomologists’

BulletinMarch 2019• 27Society. The speakers outlined the history of the Amateur Entomologists’Society (AES). It was founded in 1935 by Mr Leonard Tesch, a school teacher,who decided that there was a need for a club to encourage and support‘young collectors’; he called it ‘The Entomological Exchange andCorrespondence Club’. Leonard Tesch subsequently stepped down in order topursue ‘business interests’. It is interesting that Tesch was a friend of MaxwellKnight and that Tesch’s wife is understood to have been one of Knight’s agentsMI5. The remainder of the lecture focused on the educational value ofentomology and “bug hunting” and the importance of such pursuits inteaching young people about natural history and conservation. Maxwell Knightwas one of many who, through his broadcasts and books, helped nurturechildren’s enthusiasm for insects and other animals.What was described on the programme as “a dramatic interlude” was entitled“Newts, nadders and neophyte naturalists”. This provided entertainment aswell as a reminder of the fragility of habitats in Britain, even half a centuryago. A team consisting of Simon King, Sarah Pellett, Charles, Rachel and JonnyFoster, Max, Hilda, Margaret and John Cooper re-enacted a scene, a childhoodencounter with youths and newts at a Surrey pond that was recounted inMaxwell Knight’s unpublished book “The Frightened Face of Nature”. This hadbeen written in the early 1960s and was found in his own hand in the filingcabinet. The “dramatic interlude” was an appropriate finale to a day that hadrecounted and reassessed Maxwell Knight’s life and work in the context of the21st century, with reference to contemporary environmental issues includingconservation, animal welfare, captive-breeding of endangered species andpublic education.The audience clearly enjoyed the symposium and the organisers welcomed theopportunity, fifty years after his death, to commemorate the life and work ofMaxwell Knight, the original “nature detective” and Second World War MI5agent.Simon King is collating lecture and other material from the symposium andusing other material relevant to Maxwell Knight’s work to highlightenvironmental concerns on the Frightened Face of Nature (FFON) website. See: www.ffon.co.ukWe are grateful to all who contributed to making the day a success.More extensive reports, together with photographs, will be produced in duecourse and made available to organisations and individuals who would like, intheir publications and on their websites, to publicise not only the 2018symposium but also the important and enduring influence of Charles HenryMaxwell Knight.

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BulletinMarch 2019• 31AS-ET NewsThere has been a lot happening behind the scenes at AS-ET over the past twomonths.Firstly, we are very pleased to announce that WendySteel has agreed to join the Board of Trustees. Wendy isa very well known and respected member of theindustry. She recently retired from a long period as amember of the IAT Council where she held severalimportant positions including Secretary of theRegistration Board, Honorary Secretary and Vice Chair aswell as Secretary of the West Middlesex Branch. Wendyhas been a great supporter of AS-ET since its inceptionand we look forward to working with her in the years tocome.IAT Higher Education CoursesIn December, we were grateful to be able to take advantage of the AnnualChristmas reception, held by IAT Council, to continue to present prizes toindividuals who have excelled in educational activities. The 2018 prize winnerswere as follows:Level 4 – AS-ET / IAT West Middlesex Prize – Kelly Simpson (Oxford University)Level 5 – AS-ET / Tecniplast Prize – Adam Johnson (Manchester University)Level 6 – John Walton Prize – Samantha Izzard (GlaxoSmithKline)Patron: Professor Lord Naren Patel KTChair of Trustees: Professor Sir Richard Gardner FIAT (Hon) FRSSecretary to the Trust: Ken Applebee OBE FIAT FRSBTrustees: Stephen Barnett MSc (Hon) FRSB, Jasmine Barley MSc FIAT, Karen J GardnerRegistered Charity Number 113319Registered Office: 5 South Parade, Summertown, Oxford OX2 7JL

Bulletin32 •March 2019Adam was unable to join us in London but the chair of the Board of Trustees,Professor Sir Richard Gardner took advantage of being in Manchester inNovember to deliver the Annual Lecture, to present Adam with his prize.Supporting AS-ETKelly Simpson Adam Johnson Samantha Izzard7KLV 6XPPHU   VW RI -XO\  RXU 6HQLRU $FFRXQW0DQDJHU IRU6RXWKHUQ (XURSH'DYLG 0D\R LV SODQQLQJ WR UXQWKH GLVWDQFH IURP 0LOQJDYLH WR )RUW :LOOLDP  PLOHV NPV LQ XQGHU  GD\V FDUU\LQJ DOO KLV JHDU DQG IRRG RQ KLVEDFN 2Q WKH ODVW GD\ KH ZLOO DGG D FOLPE XS WR %HQ 1HYLVZHDWKHUSHUPLWWLQJ %HFDXVH ,'(;; %LR$QDO\WLFV YDOXHV WKH LPSRUWDQFH RIDGYDQFLQJ HGXFDWLRQDQG SURPRWLQJ H[FHOOHQFHLQWKH FDUH DQGZHOIDUH RI DQLPDOV HVSHFLDOO\ WKRVH XVHG LQ VFLHQFH 'DYLG LVFRPPLWWLQJWR WKLV FKDOOHQJH DQG KDV GHFLGHG WR IXQGUDLVH IRU$6-(7 $QLPDOV LQ 6FLHQFH ± (GXFDWLRQ 7UXVW $6- (7KDVGLVWULEXWHG QHDUO\  LQ JUDQWV WR VXSSRUW HGXFDWLRQ DQGZHOIDUH DFWLYLWLHV 5HDG PRUH DERXW WKHLU ZRUN KHUHZZZDQLPDOVLQVFLHQFHHGXFDWLRQWUXVWRUJXN 'RQDWLQJWKURXJK-XVW*LYLQJLVVLPSOHIDVWDQGWRWDOO\VHFXUH 7RGRQDWHSOHDVHYLVLW KWWSVZZZMXVWJLYLQJFRPIXQGUDLVLQJGDYLG-PD\R 7+$1.<28)25<2856833257 'DYLG¶V:HVW+LJKODQG:D\&KDOOHQJH )XQGUDLVLQJIRU$6-(7WKURXJK-XVW*LYLQJFRP

BulletinMarch 2019• 33AS-ET is a charity to advance education and promote excellence in the careand welfare of animals used in science. Sponsors of AS-ET are listed below and to find out more please visit thewebsite www.as-et.org.ukAS-ET is a charity set up to advance education and promote excellence inthe care and welfare of animals used in science.To see how you can apply for a bursary visit our website (www.as-et.org.uk)The companies listed below sponsor AS-ET. If you would like to join themfind out how to support us by looking at our website.BulletinMay 2014• 15AS-ET is a charity set up to advance education and promote excellence inthe care and welfare of animals used in science.To see how you can apply for a bursary visit our website (www.as-et.org.uk)The companies listed below sponsor AS-ET. If you would like to join themfind out how to support us by looking at our website.BulletinMay 2014• 15AS-ET is a charity set up to advance education and promote excellence inthe care and welfare of animals used in science.To see how you can apply for a bursary visit our website (www.as-et.org.uk)The companies listed below sponsor AS-ET. If you would like to join themfind out how to support us by looking at our website.BulletinMay 2014• 15AS-ET is a charity set up to advance education and promote excellence inthe care and welfare of animals used in science.To see how you can apply for a bursary visit our website (www.as-et.org.uk)The companies listed below sponsor AS-ET. If you would like to join themfind out how to support us by looking at our website.BulletinMay 2014• 15AS-ET is a charity set up to advance education and promote excellence inthe care and welfare of animals used in science.To see how you can apply for a bursary visit our website (www.as-et.org.uk)The companies listed below sponsor AS-ET. If you would like to join themfind out how to support us by looking at our website.BulletinMay 2014• 15AS-ET is a charity set up to advance education and promote excellence inthe care and welfare of animals used in science.To see how you can apply for a bursary visit our website (www.as-et.org.uk)The companies listed below sponsor AS-ET. If you would like to join themfind out how to support us by looking at our website.BulletinMay 2014• 15AS-ET is a charity set up to advance education and promote excellence inthe care and welfare of animals used in science.To see how you can apply for a bursary visit our website (www.as-et.org.uk)The companies listed below sponsor AS-ET. If you would like to join themfind out how to support us by looking at our website.BulletinMay 2014• 15AS-ET is a charity set up to advance education and promote excellence inthe care and welfare of animals used in science.To see how you can apply for a bursary visit our website (www.as-et.org.uk)The companies listed below sponsor AS-ET. If you would like to join themfind out how to support us by looking at our website.BulletinMay 2014• 15AS-ET is a charity set up to advance education and promote excellence inthe care and welfare of animals used in science.To see how you can apply for a bursary visit our website (www.as-et.org.uk)The companies listed below sponsor AS-ET. If you would like to join themfind out how to support us by looking at our website.BulletinMay 2014• 15AS-ET is a charity set up to advance education and promote excellence inthe care and welfare of animals used in science.To see how you can apply for a bursary visit our website (www.as-et.org.uk)The companies listed below sponsor AS-ET. If you would like to join themfind out how to support us by looking at our website.BulletinMay 2014• 15

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BulletinMarch 2019• 35IAT Cambridge Branch AGM & Quiz Report 2019This year’s AGM and Quiz was held on Wednesday 30th January 2019 at TheCambridge Building on the Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge.Considering the snowy weather, we had a good turnout with 66 members inattendance, although unfortunately, our event sponsors, VetTech Solutions,who were travelling from a bit further afield were unable to join us, althoughwe were very appreciative for their support of this event. The AGM proceeded with a welcome from our Chair, followed by a reportfrom the Branch Secretary on last year activities; these included our infamousTenpin bowling event, a Bat Punting Safari on the River Cam with an expertfrom the Wildlife Trust and our 12th Joint Annual Symposium with the HNSBranch which took on a different debate style format this year. Our Treasurerreported a healthy end of year balance and a record of income andexpenditure was made available.Theresa with her IAT Council hat on, spoke to the branch about AnimalTechnologists Month, which will run through March 2019 and celebrates thecontribution technologists make to animal care and welfare within biomedicalresearch. She informed us of a series of events and opportunities fortechnicians to participate in such as fun competitions, establishment runevents, prizes and giveaways. There will be IAT alerts and notifications via theBulletin, e-shots and on the IAT website to look out for!Then followed the re-election of our currentofficers and committeemembers, Scott, Polly andToby and we thanked themfor all their contributionsto the IAT Cambridgebranch.After all the formalitieswere completed, welaunched into this year’squiz. Our quiz masterRobin was on good formand his daughter Lynnhelped tally the quiz scores.Robin and Lynn

Bulletin36 •March 2019Fran packing away the 45 empty pizza boxesThe raffle prizesThere were 11 teams intotal, with the usualimaginative team names!, 6 rounds – including worldleaders, coastal birds, and arock hard Animal Technologyround (Sorry to any teamsthat played their joker onthat one!) and a whole loadof pizza (45 to be exact)!! Whilst totting up the quizscores, the raffle took place,which included some lovelyprizes, especially our 1stprize of a hamper filled withvarious local produce! Wereceived our highest evercontribution of proceeds tothe raffle from the raffle,which will be donated to AS-ET.

BulletinMarch 2019• 37The quiz in progressWorld leaders picture round

Bulletin38 •March 2019Once the totals were added, we had a clear winner with 45 points, the ‘ARESbandits’ our winners from last year, successfully defended their title, and whoThe team totalsThewinningteam –ARESBandits

BulletinMarch 2019• 39took back the trophy (and a bottle of wine each)!! Joint second place with 39points were the ‘Wet Pellets’ and the ‘Victims’. Third prize went to the ‘Fishbiscuits’ with 36 points. We had two losing teams; ‘Only for the beer’ and ‘Greenies’, who graciouslyaccepted their booby prizes of some Unicorn fluffs, and a ‘Must try harder’book. Please can we say a very big thank you to Vet-Tech Solutions, who once againkindly sponsored this event. Sarah StoneBranch ReporterA fewrepresentativesfrom the losingteam

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BulletinMarch 2019• 41IAT Cambridge, Huntingdon, Norfolk and Suffolkbranches: Annual Joint Symposium7th November, 2018Cambridge Building Conference Centre,Babraham Research Campus, CambridgeThe annual Joint Autumn Symposium event was held once again in Cambridge,due to the difficulties anticipated getting to Wooley near Huntingdon, whatwith the extensive roadworks on the A14 and the A1.We have been toying with an idea to hold a symposium-with-a-difference forsome time, and decided this was the year to proceed. We know there are anynumber of issues that are debated in many staff rooms in animal facilities acrossthe nation, ranging from tube handling of rodents to having radios on inanimal holding rooms and everything else in-between. We know (because wehear it first hand), that there is no shortage of animal technologists who havevery firmly held views on these matters (and more) and thought it would beworthwhile to explore these contentious issues but across a much wideraudience – in a ‘debating society’ environment, if you will.And so, we identified a number of topical issues by askingour staff to make suggestions as to topics they felt wouldbe worthwhile exploring. We added a number of our ownand agreed the format should be like the ‘Red Tomatoes,Green Peppers’ quiz show, which some of the moremature folk reading this will no doubt recall!We duly laminated a lot of A4 sheets with each fruit(yes, fruit) on either side, as an easy visual votingmethod.We recognised one risk of holding a debating eventwas that no one would show up and if they did, theymight be hesitant about speaking openly in the auditorium. Well we werewrong on both accounts I am pleased to say. True, the numbers were down onour ‘usual’ format but the value of having the discussions we had made-up forthat.In order to get things underway, we were most fortunate to welcome DrAlasdair Russell from the Pre-clinical Genome Editing group, based at Cancer

Bulletin42 •March 2019Research UK, located on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. Alasdair kindlypresented a most thought-provoking presentation entitled ‘Genome Editingwill change our lives forever’.He explained in (thankfully) simplistic terms the process of CRISPR-Cas 9technologies in clinical applications.Some interesting facts for youThere are ±37 trillion cells in the human body; if the DNA from just one cellwere pulled-out into a single strand, it would measure about 2 metres long. Ifall the DNA in an entire body were joined up, that strand would stretch fromthe earth to Pluto!In the minute of time Alasdair tookto tell us this, we have individuallycreated 300m red blood cells and12m gut cells!As a fun ice-breaker, severalmembers of the audience undertooka Chinese Whispers exercise onstage, this was to demonstrate thatmutations occur when something isrepeated time and time again…thiswas the root cause of diversity andhow diseases may occur. Mistakes inthe DNA replications may be neutral (non-impactful) or they may havesignificant impact.In 2013, the CRISPR revolution began, by 2018 many organisms’ genomes havebeen rewritten…species from flies to yeasts to bacteria to mice to woollymammoths!The benefits of CRISPR are: Fast, affordable accurate (you canbuy a CRISPR home kit for $99!).Can edit live cells, turn on/off inanimals and plants – and even inhumans.

BulletinMarch 2019• 43Exploiting CRISPRHealthcareAlasdair told us about Layla Richardson, at the time she was an 11 month oldbaby with leukaemia; she had a bone marrow transplant but it failed.Normally she would have died soon after but doctors at Great Ormond Streetdecided to treat Layla with genome-edited T-Cell therapy to target theleukaemia cells, as these can evade chemotherapy. 3 years on and Layla is aperfectly healthy child, there are no leukaemia cells detectable – so gene-editing with CRISPR is clearly a very powerful tool in therapy. However, ifyou can manipulate DNA for one purpose, it could be used for othersthat might not be so beneficial…so just because you can, should you?AgricultureThe Belgian Blue breed of cattle arises from a naturally occurring mutationseen in one bull, which gives double muscles; CRISPR has been used to getdouble muscles in other breeds now such as dogs, by the Chinese.Other uses for CRISPR technologies are being developed all the time, one ofwhich is Living Data Storage!ContainmentThere are ‘Gene Drives’ which intend to eradicate entire species e.g.mosquitos which carry malaria…but what are the ramifications to the foodchain?Other risks: world domination – regimes with nefarious intentions…?In Animal Technology, CRISPR can be a force for good: You can create precisenumbers of mice, which come with exactly the gene mutation you need foryour experiments. The result is minimal or even no wastage, compared tobreeding many mice to eventually get the correct genome required. However,numbers of mice used are unlikely to reduce overall, as you would simplyincrease the number of experiments that could be run concurrently.The FutureWe do know that we don’t know much about DNA and all its processes, etc.Re-engineering for accuracy and precision is the current thrust of CRISPRtechnologies in the West, however, CRISPR is a very clever and accurate toolbut one which could be used to design babies…And this was the first of our debates: Should we use CRISPR to gene-edit inhumans? Where does it stop? Layla was a fantastic success but now thistechnology is out there, anyone and anything can be manipulated…a verythought-provoking and frankly unnerving prospect.

This led us into our debates, which ranged from:G tube handling of mice G radios in holding rooms G rodents as pets (by Animal Technologists working in mouse houses) G are barriered buildings still required?G clean versus dirty animalsG routine cleaning-out compared to as and when required After some interesting discussions, hearing opposing thoughts and views, wethanked Alasdair for such a great presentation and also our generous sponsorswho had once again supported this event, in most cases, year on year.The Sponsors for this event were: Allentown, Avidity Science, Datesand, IPS, S3,Sychem and Tecniplast. We are as always, extremely grateful for theircontinuing support of this event.A free raffle draw took place for a £25 gift voucher, after which we set toenjoying the buffet.Many thanks for all of those who attended. We had some positive feedbackabout the format and certainly had a number of topics which we didn’t havetime to tackle, so perhaps we could review them on another occasion?!Post-Symposium NewsAt the end of November, it was announced that a Chinese researcher had usedCRISP-R technology in human babies, born in China.Dr Alistair Russell said: ‘The CRISPR world has universally condemned thescientist who forged ahead with this, all universally saying that this is too soonfor the technology and for humanity. The world now waits with baited breathto see what is to become of this rogue scientist’.Little did we realise quite how topical our debate had been to real-worldhappenings…the researcher is currently under house-arrest.Theresa LangfordCambridge Branch ReporterBulletinMarch 2019• 45

BulletinMarch 2019• 47IAT Midlands Branch AGM and Talk about theStreet Vet ProjectThe Midlands branch AGM was held on Monday 11th February kindly hostedby NTU – following the AGM and an excellent supper we had a talk fromNeil Smith MRCVS about the Street Vet project.Street Vet was born in 2016, inspired by the incredible bond between ahomeless man, Gary, and his dog Lola. Victims of the UK homelessnessepidemic often have scant support, except for, in a growing number of cases,the companionship of their pets. Some have had their pets since before losingtheir homes. Others had the responsibility of pet ownership thrust upon them.Irrespective, the bond between many homeless people and their dogs isprofound, such that their pets’ wellbeing is a life-shaping priority. Initially starting out in London the scheme has now moved out into 10 citiesincluding Birmingham and has recently received registered charity status. A few veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses from the Birmingham areacontacted Street Vet independently after hearing about the success of it inLondon. They all initially met at BSAVA Congress in Birmingham in April 2018and went from there!After a couple of meetings Birmingham Street Vet was officially launched onSunday 17th June 2018.Like the other Street Vet groups they are strongly supported by the localveterinary community and currently have about 25 volunteer veterinarysurgeons and veterinary nurses who are ready to take their part in offering theservice we are providing.Neil discussed some of the challenges that they face working with thehomeless who are often reluctant to engage with people they see as authority.It can take a long time to build trust with some individuals who may be fearfulthat their dogs might be taken away. Routine treatments include microchipping – with an example where theaddress on the chip reads ‘the lamp post to the left of Snow Hill station’,worming, flea treatment and vaccinations. Getting the dogs vaccinated isimportant as there are a few hostels that will allow dogs but they do ask forvaccinations.

Bulletin48 •March 2019Safety for the vets and nurses working on the streets and in the hostels isimportant and as such, no controlled drugs are carried in the kit. An interesting fact is that 75% of the dogs are staffie or staffie crosses andthat they are all incredibly calm to handle – due to the length of time they arewith their owners these dogs can suffer separation anxiety if they do have tobe separated for any reason. Neil explained that a homeless person may turnup to A and E with their dog in tow and as a result some of the Londonhospitals now have a doggy crèche.Although dogs make up the majority of the cases for the Street Vets there area few cats and even a homeless rabbit.There is a large part of the homeless community who have animals as theircompanions in Birmingham. The Street Vets are currently working with twocharities – Homeless Heroes, which provide a static site from which they canbase themselves and working from there everySunday has helped Street Vets build a reliablereputation among the dog owners. Theyalso accompany the second charity,Hope, on their outreach on a Sunday.As Street Vet grows it hopes todevelop more relationships withother homeless charities inBirmingham.It is amazing how this project hasgrown so fast from 2 vets withbackpacks treating homeless petsin 2016 to today with over 300volunteers and now a registeredcharity.We are very grateful to Neil for givingup his time to come and talk to ourbranch about this project.Caroline ChadwickMidlands Branch Reporter

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Bulletin50 •March 2019The NC3Rs: A 3Rs ResourceBy Karen DunfordThe 3Rs are a central tenant driving animal welfare in scientific settings.Without them, the changes and improvements in the delivery of welfarethat have occurred over the past half century may not have come tofruition, or at least, perhaps not to the level of today’s standards. Thequality of life for a mouse in a laboratory today is vastly improved fromthe quality of life of those in the 1930s. The National Centre for the 3Rs(NC3Rs) is a national body that fosters and encourages the use of the 3Rsglobally through funding, training, supporting research, and informationdissemination, amongst others. Their website is a great resource foranyone, whether scientist or technician, to find information on the 3Rs. The Tech3Rs NewsletterOne of their newest forms of outreachis the Tech3Rs newsletter. This is aimedat animal technicians and focusses onstudies and experiments that have acentral 3Rs theme. The newsletter isdesigned for quick and easy reading byproviding a number of short sectionsof condensed information. One ofthese is the ‘3Rs Papers of Interest’section which provides the reader withbullet points highlighting the mostpertinent information from thefeatured articles. This is definitely atime saver! There is also a News andBlog highlight section, which is the abridged version from their website aswell as an events section. There is also a request for submissions, if anyonewould like to feature their work. The newsletter was started in October 2018 and currently has twoeditions. It is available as a free pdf download, or hard copies can berequested from the NC3Rs directly.

BulletinMarch 2019• 51Animal Technician HubA broader resource is also available on the NC3Rs website, called the‘Animal Technician Hub’. This section is also aimed specifically at animaltechnicians, although there is another general resource hub available.This site acts as a central gateway or starting place to find relevantinformation on a wide range of topics and provided in multiple types ofplatforms and media. Most of the information centres on rodents, but there is information onprimates, dogs, and cats as well. There is a wealth of information onnon-human primate welfare, including proper transport, housing, andweaning. In addition, there are summaries of work done directly by theNC3Rs, such as the recent mouse aggression study. Other non-traditional media are also included, such as posters that canbe downloaded for free to be used in labs; the grimace scale featureshere. Training is also focus; multiple links are provided to a number oftraining videos and online tutorials. There is even a podcast available onthe site for those who are into being informed and educated whilst onthe move. The podcast is made in conjunction with Lab Animal and has afeature called ‘3 minute 3Rs’, which details briefly work that has includedan element of the 3Rs. The NC3Rs also provide some of their materials in hard copies ifrequested, which are intended for distribution in licence courses. The newsletter can be found at: https://nc3rs.org.uk/tech3rsThe Animal Technician Hub can be found at: https://nc3rs.org.uk/animal-technician

Bulletin52 •March 2019The Gallery…Swamp deerFeaturing images by Marc WiltshireSoft shelled turtleIndian roller birdPond heronBlack shoulder kite

The Gallery…Jungle owletDholeLangurGreen bee-eaterCrested hawk eagleBulletinMarch 2019• 53

Bulletin54 •March 2019BluebuckMyna birdMugger crocodile Samba deerJackals

Samba deer Samba deerParakeetLeopardLangursBulletinMarch 2019• 55

Bulletin56 •March 2019MILESTONE IN ANIMAL WELFAREREACHED11 February 1955 saw the foundations laid of more humane laboratory techniques for animalsDr William Russell presented a paper entitled A research on the historyand progress of humane experimental techniques on this day at theUFAW Annual General Meeting in 1955. This paper, published in UFAW’stechnical news-sheet the UFAW Courier, contained the essence of theprinciples that were to become known as the Three Rs – Replacement,Reduction and Refinement. Dr Russell concluded his presentation bysaying: “I believe it (this investigation) is also one of immense promise forthe welfare of large numbers of animals, and I can only hope that itsoutcome will be as gratifying to look back on as the other achievementswe have heard about tonight.”Previously, UFAW had stated that it wanted to see laboratory techniquesbecome more humane for the animals concerned and made contact withDr William Russell, an Oxford zoologist and Greek scholar, who agreed toundertake a programme of research into this subject. Dr Russell wasappointed as a UFAW Research Fellow in October 1954. Mr Rex Burch, askilled microbiologist, was taken on soon after and collected much of theinformation necessary for the project. Two years later, the first ever symposium on Humane Techniques in theLaboratory was organised by UFAW at Birkbeck College, London on the8th of May 1957. It was at this meeting that Russell and Burch’s Three Rsprinciples of Replacement, Reduction and Refinement were first formallyput forward. Sixty years ago this year, in 1959, The Principles of HumaneExperimental Technique was published, which comprehensively laid outthe arguments that lay behind their seminal concept. Over subsequentdecades, the Three Rs were taken up around the world as fundamentalguiding principles in laboratory animal welfare legislation and practice. Dispatches…

BulletinMarch 2019• 57UFAW has worked since its foundation in 1926 to improve the welfare ofanimals used in research by supporting scientific studies to understandand improve their welfare alongside education and training to improvethe lives of animals used for scientific purposes worldwide.Today, huge advances have been made in the treatment of animals usedfor scientific purposes. Nonetheless, there is much more that remains tobe done to advance all of the 3Rs. Research is needed to developrefinements to experimental techniques to reduce suffering and to findfurther ways to replace and reduce the use of animals in research. Ourknowledge about animals’ needs in captivity also needs to be expandedto inform legal standards worldwide. It is likely that new challenges toanimal welfare may also arise as new technologies are developed. As longas animals are used in scientific testing and research, UFAW will play acrucial role in ensuring that animal suffering in the name of science isminimised or eradicated through the development and application ofanimal welfare. See https://www.ufaw.org.uk/why-ufaws-work-is-important/welfare-of-animals-used-in-scientific-testing-and-research for further information.

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BulletinMarch 2019• 59Named Information Officers are required to find andprovide information for those who request it. As the role is a relatively new addition to British laboratoryanimal facilities, some NIOs may find it challenging touncover requested information expeditiously. Below are some resources that NIOs may find useful in theirinvestigations.Systematic Reviews and SyrcleMany people have not heard of systematic reviews, but they can bea useful tool in designing and refining experiments. Syrcle(Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory Animal Experimentation),location in Nijmegen, Netherlands, offers help to domestic andinternational researchers, mainly those conducting drug trials, orother medical based research using animal models, to design,conduct and analyse their own systematic reviews. The goal ofthese reviews is to help researchers create more robust trials, andlower the rate of translational failures. These reviews allowresearchers to find an overview of available evidence on their topicof interest, identify any flaws in previous experiments and gaps inavailable knowledge, and identify if there are any factors that havean impact on experiments. Systematic reviews are widely used inthe medical field, and the transfer to animal studies only occurreda decade ago. However, they are gaining traction. To check out what they offer check out their website at SYRCLE.nlBy Karen DunfordNIO Forum

BulletinMarch 2019• 63Front cover: Technician by UCL Fish FacilityDIARY Dates22 March Congress registration closesDetails on page 1128-29 MarchIntensive course on biostatisticsMetropolitan City of Milan, ItalyDetails:https://www.fondazioneguidobernardini.org/en/programs/course-intensive-course-on-biostatistics.html4 AprilChallenging RefinementsStevenageDetails:https://coursesandconferences.wellcomegenomecampus.org/our-events/animal-genetics-diseases-2019/4-5 AprilMicrobiota and gnotobiotic rodentsMetropolitan City of Milan, ItalyDetails:https://www.fondazioneguidobernardini.org/en/programs/course-microbiota-and-gnotobiotic-rodents.html8-10 AprilWorkshop: Assessment, prevention,and alleviation of pain and distress inlaboratory animals NewcastleDetails:https://www.nc3rs.org.uk/events/workshop-assessment-prevention-and-alleviation-pain-and-distress-laboratory-animals-19-12 AprilIAT CongressNorth West EnglandDetails on page 1124 AprilWashing, care and maintenance ofTecniplast IVCs for hygiene andlogistics technicians UKDetails: info@tecniplastuk.com1 MayThe foundation course in TecniplastIVCsUKDetails: info@tecniplastuk.com8-10 MayAnimal genetics and diseasesHinxton, UKDetails:https://coursesandconferences.wellcomegenomecampus.org/our-events/animal-genetics-diseases-2019/9-10 MayThe management of geneticallyaltered rodent coloniesMetropolitan City of Milan, ItalyDetails:https://www.fondazioneguidobernardini.org/en/programs/course-the-management-of-genetically-altered-rodent-colonies.html10-13 June FELASA ConferencePragueDetails: http://www.felasa2019.eu202024-26 MarchAST2020 EdinburghDetails: https://www.ast2020.org