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Institute of Animal Technology Bulletin G G G AALAS Report AAALAC Fellowship Report Tech Month 2019 Review G G G AS ET News Situations Vacant Diary Dates Vol 56 No 2 February 2020

Bulletin Vol 56 No 2 February 2020 EDITOR Carole Wilson bulletineditor iat org uk ASSISTANT EDITOR Karen Dunford bulletinassistant iat org uk ADVERTISEMENT MANAGERS PRC Associates Ltd mail prcassoc co uk Published monthly by the Institute of Animal Technology Registered Office 5 South Parade Summertown Oxford OX2 7JL ISSN 0263 2861 For enquiries other than Bulletin related contact IAT ADMINISTRATOR admin iat org uk or 0800 085 4380 Final copy date for April Bulletin 1st March The opinions expressed in the Bulletin do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor or the Institute CONTENTS Dear Readers 5 Tech Month March 2020 6 Tech Month March 2019 7 14 Review AALAS 2019 17 29 AAALAC Fellowship Report 30 40 AS ET News 42 45 Situations Vacant 46 Diary Dates 47

Bulletin February 2020 De ar Re aders Welcome to the AALAS special we have two reports for you this month John Waters was the 2019 UK recipient of the AAALAC Fellowship read his report on pages 30 40 John advises anyone who is eligible for this award to put themselves forward and I can only echo that sentiment From John s account it is obvious that the whole experience is very worthwhile and educational a real chance to exchange ideas with American colleagues on an international platform I know John had a great time because I was lucky enough to meet him in Denver and we were discussing it We were both at AALAS John as part of the AAALAC International Fellowship prize and me because I was manning the IAT stand with Lynda Westall with help from my colleague Paul Barwood You can read our report on pages 17 29 We all enjoyed it for me it was very good to catch up with some long time American friends and make some new ones as well as hanging out with the rest of the Brits While I am on the subject of colleagues and friends I would like to remind you of an event happening in March it is Tech Month all month On pages 7 14 is a brief reminder of some of the events that happened in a very busy Tech Month 2019 Let s make 2020 even more vibrant I look forward to reading all your reports Finally I hope to see as many of you as possible next month at AST2020 in Edinburgh see page 16 for more information Keep Reading Carole 5

Bulletin February 2020 7 A lesson in If you want to see something worthwhile initiated crack on Are you one of those people who reckon the best way to get something worthwhile underway is to tackle the challenge yourself hopefully with some like minded folks also along for the ride We are some of those people but it s taken much cajoling and encouragement to get us to the point where there s a little bit of give and you can feel some momentum building up This is how the IAT Communications Group have initiated Tech Month here in the UK The idea is simple enough achieve tangible recognition for the major contribution Animal Technologists and all Support Services staff based within the animal facilities make in advancing medical research but how to actually go about gaining that recognition and in what form As you may know the idea has been active in the USA for some years and it is a regular week long feature every March We felt that perhaps by expanding it over a month this gives more scope for the wide range of ways in which recognition can be celebrated The IAT s original idea was to hold Tech Month bi annually but actually now the momentum is building up and we think it should become an annual event so now is the time to be thinking about what would work in your animal facility and start planning for March 2020 Hopefully your establishment was active during Tech Month 2019 If it was great we hope you enjoyed the activities organised but if your establishment is a little reticent or needs some ideas then please read below about great ideas that were put into action If money is a concern why not approach one of your suppliers perhaps they might donate some money to the cause This activity should be budgeted for in the annual financial planning

8 February 2020 Bulletin However a large budget isn t essential for Tech Month there are activities you can organise that do not cost a lot of money a staff bake off perhaps with the winning cake baker seeing their photo and name on a poster displayed for all researchers and staff to see Or a quiz with the winner having a half day leave as the prize perhaps Whether your Establishment was or wasn t active in Tech Month in 2019 we hope as an individual you took part in the IAT Tech Month Quiz over four weeks with the chance of winning some really terrific prizes NC3Rs The NC3Rs took part in Technicians Month with a Twitter campaign They did 14 tweets featuring seven animal technicians five NACWOs and three PIs The images were paired with quotes please see attached for examples There were 60 re tweets and 167 likes The total impressions these tweets received i e number of accounts the tweets were displayed to was 24 409 accounts They were really pleased with how the campaign went and the feedback from technicians I hope you have had a good response from other organisations too to celebrate the work of technicians To find all of our Animal Tech Month posts search the hashtag animaltechmonth on Twitter and follow NC3Rs for future updates

Bulletin February 2020 9 MRC Harwell Throughout the month technicians supplied a brief bio and photo which were sent around site and received very positive feedback The response was so good that the research groups are going to follow our lead and do the same thing next month We brought our Technician Month to a close with a Surgery and Anaesthesia through the Ages talk by our Named Vet Chris Trower Anyone who knows Chris would know he has a reputation for delivering excellent talks with good humour and he certainly delivered this time around Of course we finished with tea and cake All in all a great success and initiative by the IAT MRC Harwell enjoying Tech Month last year

10 February 2020 Bulletin University of Reading On the first day of IAT Technician Month at University of Reading we all went for breakfast and then went to see the construction of our new building Breakfast at Reading Followed by viewing of construction

Bulletin February 2020 Ireland The National University of Galway NUIG held their Tech Month event on Tuesday 12th March The small team of technicians enjoyed a coffee morning with cake They attempted the IAT online quiz and all the word searches and crosswords It got very competitive gulp Meanwhile over in University College Dublin we held our Tech Month event on the 5th March All staff attended a coffee morning enjoying Offbeat Donuts which were a big hit As part of the event we also spoke about environmental enrichment and did the word search plus crossword puzzles from the IAT website 11

12 February 2020 Bulletin University of Sheffield Here are the University of Sheffield BSU staff celebrating IAT Tech Month at Whitby s Restaurant on Fishy Friday University of Leicester University of Leicester celebrated by hosting a chip butty lunch

Bulletin February 2020 13 University of Liverpool The University of Liverpool taking part in Tech Month by celebrating with a pie night That s a pie

14 February 2020 Bulletin And here are people eating them These were some of the events held in 2019 but this year we would love to see more establishments getting involved Tech Month 2020 is just around the corner so get planning your events now

Bulletin February 2020 NOTICE of IAT ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2020 The thirty fourth Annual General Meeting of the Institute of Animal Technology will be held at AST2020 on Tuesday 24th March at 13 30 hrs AGENDA 1 To consider the minutes of the thirty third Annual General Meeting held on Tuesday 9th April 2019 as published in full on the Members section of the IAT website and in abridged form in the Bulletin Vol 55 No 6 2 To receive and consider the Company s annual accounts for the year ended 31st December 2019 together with the Annual Report and the Auditors Report 3 To appoint Auditors of the Institute 4 To review the Council s objectives for 2019 5 To elect members of the Council who are proposed for re election by rotation under the terms of the Articles of Association and any such new members to fill existing vacancies 6 To elect a President and Vice Presidents for the ensuing year 7 To consider the election of Life and Honorary Members of the Institute 8 Any other business Dated February 2020 Linda Horan CEO Chair of Council Simon Cumming Honorary Secretary THE AGM IS OPEN TO ALL DELEGATES Voting Rights are restricted to IAT voting members only 15

Bulletin February 2020 17 AALAS National Meeting Report S aturday 12 October saw several Brits arriving at London Heathrow to travel to Denver Colorado for the 70th AALAS National Meeting Two of these were Lynda Westall and Carole Wilson who would be manning the IAT stand with a third person Paul Barwood from UCL who Carole had bribed to help out Also on the flight were representatives from Agenda Cambridge University LBS and Tecniplast there may have been others who we did not recognise so apologies for that Finally we cannot forget Simon Cumming and his wife Vicky He became obvious in a crowd due to wearing shorts which he said was his normal travelling attire more about his clothing later After an uneventful 8 hour flight and watching several films we arrived safely in Denver and all the Brits went their separate ways to travel to hotels and settle into their rooms For those that are unaware Denver is often called the Mile High City because yes you ve guessed it it is situated a mile above sea level and is close to the Rocky Mountains The actual mile high point is marked on the 13th step to the Capital building where people flock to have their photo taken although I guess most visitors must actually sleep over a mile high in the many high rise hotels that are scattered about the city An advantage to being so high up is the very clear air and visibility but the disadvantages are many For example being so high up in a dryish atmosphere creates a lot of static electricity that strikes and grabs you when least expected opening a door sitting onto a chair inadvertently brushing passed another person It also makes some people feel a bit poorly Some of the ways of travelling and we heard a few delegates around Denver

18 February 2020 Bulletin Buffalo Art Another way of travelling around talking about having mild altitude sickness or getting out of breath and having an increased heart rate And then the best excuse ever high altitude can make you feel the effects of alcohol much quicker than normal lots of people mentioned this one Downtown Denver is a stone s throw from the Convention Centre where the AALAS meeting was held and very close to all the hotels the delegates were staying in It is made up of a mile long pedestrian promenade 16th street lined with trees flowers public art outdoor cafes and a wide choice of shopping options For people who don t want to walk the whole mile of the street there are free buses that run constantly up and down

Bulletin February 2020 19 The public art is an interesting feature and partly consists of several life size cow statues situated at odd places 2 of these were outside our hotel When we asked at a Tourist Information the significance of cows they could not tell us and similarly had no answer to why there was a giant bear outside the Convention Centre Cows we guessed may be linked with ranching but the bear remained a mystery We were told though that in the summer there are pianos in the centre of 16th street where people can stop and play As with all main American cities there is a wealth of museums and galleries for the tourist to Cows outside the hotel visit as well as the surrounding areas particularly the Rockies which several of the delegates took advantage of but we had a stand to put up and man so did not have much time for exploring too far afield and a bear trying to get into the convention centre Sunday saw the three of us heading to the

20 February 2020 Bulletin Convention Centre firstly to register for the meeting and then to find our pitch inside the trade hall and set up the stand Due to the thousands of people who attend this annual meeting the registration area is quite large especially when compared to our IAT Congress Once we had collected our badges delegate bag and ribbons that stick to the badge indicating we were overseas visitors with sore feet and welcoming catch ups with our American friends and colleagues we headed into the trade hall Still trying to get in This year we had a new IAT stand and back cloth that once assembled looked very inviting and we did have plenty of visitors to chat with about the IAT over the course of the meeting Thanks as always must be given to LBS for storing all the literature and giveaways to promote the IAT plus the exhibition stand itself from meeting to meeting Registration

Bulletin Setting up the stand February 2020 21

24 February 2020 Bulletin Once the stand was set up ready for the opening the next day we found our way to a Tecniplast breakfast brunch event where new equipment was available to view Then it was off for a quick explore of Downtown Denver before ending up at the Cheesecake Factory for a bite to eat Thank goodness the calorie count of food and drink was listed so I was able to make sure I did not have a slice of cheesecake with over 2000 calories in it Sunday evening saw several of the Brits attending the PMI LabDiet Awards Dinner where the awards for American and European Technician of the Year are given out and previous Award winners give those present an update on what they have been up to over the years This year the European Award recipient was Simon Cumming a well deserved winner and Scottish through and through He amazed everyone but particularly the Americans by turning up in full Scottish regalia dressed in the Cumming s tartan and he looked spectacular The American Award recipient Dale Weiss also stood out as he wore a large Stetson hat all night and throughout the AALAS meeting The meal and the company were very enjoyable and a good time was had by all For those with a bit more stamina than myself they made their way to Coyote Ugly Bar Lynda has asked me to write about what happened at the bar unfortunately what happens in Coyote Ugly stays in Coyote Ugly Simon and Vicky Cumming

Bulletin February 2020 25 Monday morning at 8 30 saw the official opening of the trade hall and it was not long before it became a very busy area There were many day delegates attending this event so our stand which was in a very good position to attract attention always had a steady flow of people passing by who we encouraged to stop and chat to us For the whole meeting the important figures were approximately 4 400 delegates although we think this also included trade People from 33 different countries had registered There were some 257 trade exhibitors including affiliated organisations and altogether 310 posters exhibited These posters were grouped into various themes with Animal Welfare Training and the 3Rs having 87 posters Clinical had 56 posters Husbandry Management had 85 and Laboratory Investigations had 82 The paper and workshop topics covered a wealth of different subjects which included animal rights data collection surgery diagnosis health monitoring training for staff and animals outreach management leadership and ethics the 3Rs and more The usual laboratory animal species e g rats mice monkeys dogs and fish mostly zebrafish were included in these presentations but this year there was also an interesting talk on bison covering how the only fully native herd in the USA is being managed to increase numbers and introduce them across the States There was also a session on cephalopods Finally this year there were several environmental talks mainly about the work that One Health carries out in areas across the world where wildlife is threatened One very interesting One Health talk that several of us attended was how villagers in an area of Borneo were given help to improve their health care and shown how to better care for their goats and chickens This in turn led to the villagers having less ailments and better nutrition and not needing to pay for emergency health care which they could not afford To fund this emergency care in the past they would cut down logs in the forest which in turn was decimating the habit for orangutans Since the villagers have been able to improve conditions for themselves the orangutans are thriving in that area and with re introduction of trees corridors are now in place for these apes to move more freely around the forests a win win situation for everyone Similar programmes are being set up in other countries where wildlife is struggling to survive and was a positive message on how it is possible to improve conditions for both people and animals On Monday evening a bowling event was hosted by Allentown to which several of the Brits made their way to display their striking skills We heard everyone had a great time Other suppliers were hosting their own smaller dinner events to which many other people headed to including Paul and Carole ending up in a bar very late at night But generally I think a lot of people elected for an early night with travelling a busy Sunday and Monday at presentations beginning to catch up with them

26 February 2020 Bulletin Tuesday morning Carole attended the annual AALAS Affiliates Roundtable Conference Breakfast This is an early morning breakfast meeting where various associations connected to AALAS meet and everyone talks about the year their organisation has had Meanwhile Lynda and Paul held the fort on the stand On Tuesday evening many of the Brits had been invited to a meal with Tecniplast at a roof top restaurant Although a cold evening the overhead heaters kept the chill off and there was an interesting view of nearby illuminated cranes Carole had to remind the staff she was veggie and was presented with her own plateful of nachos to munch through see photo and she managed it Carole I think I had help The disputed nachos Roof top restaurant Wednesday was the final morning of the trade exhibition and after another wave of visitors to the stand business began to slow and as we had all been invited to the AAALAC AALAS ICLAS International Luncheon we broke the stand down a tad early by midday instead of 1 00pm and headed to the hotel where the event was being held It is at this luncheon that many awards are presented including the AAALAC

Bulletin February 2020 27 Global 3Rs Awards and the USA and European AAALAC Fellowship Award recipients This year the prestigious award for the European recipient went to John Waters and several Brits were in attendance to support him The American recipient was Theresa Faughnan equally well supported by her fellow countrymen This award is sponsored by Priority One Services Inc in the US and Datesand Group Ltd in the UK and Jonathon Wood from Datesand was there to help present the awards Following this luncheon and after a couple of hours rest the day rounded off with us attending the AALAS President s reception This was a good opportunity to meet and catch up with colleagues once more mainly from the USA over a glass of wine and nibbles and have our photo taken with the retiring President Morag Mackay She actually hailed from Scotland and we had a lot of common topics to talk to her about Wednesday evening is usually the Brits night out but this year many of the Brits had flown home earlier in the day or were going back early the following day or had left to travel elsewhere so those left ended up doing their own thing The three of us had a quiet evening in a lovely Indian restaurant before getting an early night Thursday morning saw Lynda getting up bright and early to attend a presentation at 8 00am on Cephalopods in the laboratory These are a growing class of laboratory animal and as I encounter these often while I scuba dive their use and value in the laboratory really interested me Their nervous system is the most complex of all invertebrates and their ability to change colour extremely quickly and to regrow damaged tentacles make them very interesting animals to study In the laboratory they are used to investigate long and short term memory motor control limb regeneration camouflage and wound repair to name a few topics The genome of the dwarf cuttlefish has also been sequenced So bearing all this in mind these animals as we know are regulated in the UK and EU but also Switzerland Norway Canada Australia and New Zealand However they are not regulated in the United States This was one of the big questions asked and hopefully it will not be long before they become a federal regulated species in the USA Our flight back home was not until late Thursday afternoon so we had some spare time to hit Denver and have a look round again After some successful souvenir shopping we made our way to the Capitol Building Here the 13th step to the main entrance is exactly 1 mile above sea level and is of course the place for a photo opportunity We then headed towards the museum area where the Denver Art Museum was located

28 February 2020 Bulletin Lynda and Carole join the Mile High Club The Capitol Building Sculptures outside the art museum

Bulletin As expected there were some interesting sculptures outside and rocking seats which we made use of However the thought of walking around a museum while the sun was bright and very warm outside was all a bit much so we stayed outside and walked slowly back towards our hotel stopping for some lunch on the way and then headed off to the airport February 2020 29 Paul tests out the rocking seat There were a few other Brits on the same flight back while others had already left or stayed on a few more days for siteseeing in the Rockies or visiting Las Vegas The flight was not to be uneventful with an hour s delay leaving while a faulty smoke alarm was repaired and then a power fault when we landed preventing us from moving on to the stand and getting off the plane for a while I bet the pilot had a few words about the state of his plane when he got off As always a trip to the AALAS annual meeting is hard work when manning the stand and attending the various affiliate events the IAT is invited to But it is made so enjoyable in meeting up with our USA colleagues soaking up the atmosphere of such a large meeting and supporting the UK award winners Remember if you are someone eligible to be nominated for either of the two awards presented at the AALAS annual meeting then go ahead and apply You could just be lucky enough to be selected next year and have a trip of a lifetime We would both like to thank the IAT Council for selecting us to represent the IAT at AALAS this year it was both productive and enjoyable Reporters Lynda Westall and Carole Wilson

30 February 2020 Bulletin The AAALAC International Fellowship 2019 An experience of a lifetime A t the end of July I received a rather unexpected phone call to inform me that I had been chosen as the 2019 AAALAC International Fellow To say I was shocked would be an understatement although I did self nominate for the award I did not think for one minute that I would be a worthy recipient of this prestigious honour It took a while for it to sink in then I felt really excited as to what lay ahead Speaking to previous recipients I knew this would be one fantastic experience Shortly after I was contacted by the staff at the AAALAC Offices to put all the arrangements in place and to make sure I had a current passport and ESTA The staff were brilliant replying to emails dealing with my many questions I cannot thank the staff enough at AAALAC and AALAS for arranging the trip for me Prior to flying out I was contacted by Dr Rob Weichbrod one of the original founders and Jim Cox from NIMH Janelia enquiring about my areas of interest so they could put together a comprehensive programme for my visit As the trip drew near I received the full programme and the itinerary was certainly something to behold I was also informed by Rob and Jim that I would have a couple of presentations to do during my visits For the first week I would be based in Bethesda Maryland visiting some major facilities in the area and learning about their Animal Care and Use Programmes The second week would be spent at the 70th National AALAS Meeting in Denver Both places I had not visited in the USA After a long and eventful trip I arrived at the Hyatt Bethesda Hotel at 9pm and all I wanted to do was hit my bed As is the standard after a really bad sleep I decided to get up at 5am I ventured to the gym and was looking forward to my trip into Washington As I had never been to Washington before I wanted to cram in as much as possible so I opted for the Trolley Tour This was a great way to see all the sites with plenty of stops along the way The highlight for me had to be Arlington Cemetery and I was there for the changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier This was such a moving place steeped in tradition The views over Washington were beautiful I visited the White House and I was present when Mr Trump came home in his helicopter and everything went on lockdown

Bulletin February 2020 31 Monday came around and I was picked up nice and early by Rob Weichbrod to start my tour of facilities and a full programme of events I was driven by Rob to the University of Maryland where I was met by the attending vet and she was my host for the day My first visit was to see the barn owls that were housed in outside aviaries Being a bird lover this was such a fantastic experience for me although they were a little startled due to the grass cutting that was taking place at the time on such a beautiful October day The university campus was vast and was a very busy place to be I was given a brief talk via conference call on the work that is carried out using the owls and this was very perceptive and helps appreciate the contribution these birds make to science Continuing with the bird theme I was then introduced to the avian experts using birds to study sounds contained within a bird s song After a quick tour of the new facilities to house rodents it was off to the onsite bar for a spot of lunch and a chance to talk about how the USA and UK differ and compare in their governance of animal work I was then driven over to the University s farm to have an insightful tour of the facilities although not many procedures were taking place at the time this facility was the one that closely matched Leahurst Campus where I currently work It was a very enjoyable tour and chat where I got a chance to see the fistulated cattle for the first time The sheep outside were having a difficult time due to the lack of rain Washington had experienced in 2019 It was then a quick drive back to the hotel to collect an overnight bag as I would be spending the night at NIMH Janelia hosted by Jim Cox I had spoken to some previous winners of the award about Janelia but it is only when you experience it can you The impressive facilities at Janelia

32 February 2020 Bulletin appreciate the facility It seems we were very fortunate as traffic was extremely light for that time of day and we even managed to arrive in the daylight something previous recipients have not been able to do The setting that Janelia is in is just breathtaking and immaculate in its appearance The minute you enter the building you get a sense that this is such a nice environment to work in Rob and I had a little look around as we waited on Jim and we came across a gallery showing a local artist s work When Jim joined us I was treated to a wonderful meal and a great chat about the work I would experience the next day We also chatted about non tail handling of mice and also some of the experiences I have had over my career as an animal technician After the meal I retired to my hotel room onsite it was dark by this time and I didn t realise until I awoke what a beautiful view there was from the room I sat and had a coffee watching a heron looking for some breakfast whilst the sun rose I was able to visit quite a number of areas at Janelia and it was quite apparent that this was truly a wonderful place to work with an excellent culture of care All the office areas were open plan and lots of shared work areas to create a very pleasant working environment It was at Janelia that I got my first experience of neuroscience work using mice The work was fascinating and was such a joy to see The staff were very informative about their areas and all took time out of their day to talk to me It was also very pleasing from my point of view to see a researcher using a tunnel to handle his mice Lunchtime was a time set aside for me to give a presentation to the staff My talk focussed on my work history from trainee technician up to today I received some really nice feedback and after some lunch it was time to meet some more people to talk about the similarities and differences between the UK and USA in terms of animal usage I was able to see the fantastic database that has been set up that tracks all animals used within the establishment I have seen some pretty good systems over the years but this was by far the best and all set up in house After a nice chat with Jim he drove me back to Bethesda He very kindly took the scenic route where I could sample some of the luxury houses on show being the residences of some sports stars and politicians After dinner at a local sports bar it was off to bed to get some sleep before my trip to the NIH facilities I was met bright and early by Rob for my short trip to the NIH After hearing the stories about the size of NIH it was finally time to experience it for myself Nothing can prepare you for the size of the place The security is very tight and it takes a short while to get through and get clearance

Bulletin February 2020 33 Before my first appointment Rob took time out to show me the memorial garden that has been set up at NIH in recognition of all the animals that have contributed to advances in medical research A place where staff and researchers could come for a little reflection Plaque to recognise the contribution made by animals to advances in research My first stop of the day was the Office of Animal Care and Use where I got to learn all about the USA system which is very similar to the UK system in lots of ways and different in others The guys in the office were really keen to learn more about the UK structure and the roles of named persons under the act I thank them both for giving me such an informative view of their care and use programme Before lunch I was given an insight into the aquatic facilities I have had very limited experience of fish over the years but having an interest in fish in general this was something I was looking forward to This was a facility to behold I believe it is one of if not the biggest fish facilities in the world It was immense I was introduced to and very impressed with their care programme and the expertise within this facility can only be applauded To be able to pick up on potential issues takes dedication and knowledge of the highest standard

34 February 2020 Bulletin I was able to witness the environmental enrichment practices in place and the area was spotlessly clean a real credit to all who work in the facility Excellent aquatic facilities at NIH At lunchtime I delivered a talk to the staff about my experiences as an animal technician The talk was well received and was followed by some in house demonstrations on mouse handling which the staff fully engaged in and some fun was had in giving it a go I had the full afternoon looking at what Building 49 had to offer and it was another fantastic experience thanks to the Fellowship I wholeheartedly thank the staff and management at Building 49 for taking the time out to show me their facilities it was a joy Priority One Management then treated me to a lovely evening meal at a local restaurant were we could chat on a more personal level and I gained an insight into what it is like to work in our profession in the USA I was kindly driven back to my hotel and once again after a bit of time to relax with a coffee it was off to bed

Bulletin February 2020 35 The next day after a little bit of a sleep in I once again travelled to NIH where I was very lucky to have a chat with a researcher who came from the UK but has been in the USA for many a year now working within neuroscience I was very lucky to be treated to an in depth talk about his work which was truly fascinating and I was able to view a trial in progress This is something that I would not probably have been able to witness in my time as an animal technician and I am grateful to the Fellowship that I have I was shown the communal play area for the non human primates this highlighted NIH commitment to welfare of their animals as it demonstrated careful consideration for the primates needs and it was very impressive It was not long before I was being collected by Priority One for my trip to the AAALAC Offices to meet the fantastic people who make this Fellowship possible and all the staff who organise the itinerary so it runs like clockwork and what a fantastic job they made of it At the offices I was made to feel really special by everyone I met and I got to learn about AAALAC and their Accreditation Programme throughout the world and in return I treated the staff to a very brief introduction to pigeon racing I received a travel bag full of goodies to bring back to the UK Upon leaving the office I presented a gift from Liverpool and also some Cadbury s chocolate which I hope went down well After departing the office we then had Communal area for NHP a drive up to Baltimore to visit the Institute of Marine and Environment Technology IMET I was fascinated with this facility and what they are trying to achieve In a climate that we face globally with depleting fish stocks I thought this was a unique and brilliant facility It was also fantastic to see how they manage their waste from the tanks to produce a usable energy source Time at IMET went by far too quickly but it was then off to a behind the scenes tour of the Aquarium accessing areas that the general public do not get to see

36 February 2020 Bulletin After the tour we sampled the delights of Roy s Restaurant where the food was first class and I would highly recommend to anybody The drive back to Bethesda was approximately an hour and it was spent talking about various experiences and also Laurel and Hardy The experience so far had been brilliant but the first week was quickly coming to an end One more morning left of my first week which was a visit to AstraZeneca I was to give another talk here on the non tail handling of mice to introduce the staff on how it has been successfully implemented into an animal welfare programme A few people from other AZ facilities skyped in and after a couple of technical difficulties I gave the talk I had some questions from the Skype participants and I hope I was able to answer their questions satisfactorily and they enjoyed the talk Later that day I was able to visit the facilities and chat with animal technicians which I really enjoyed as we all share one thing in common the love of animals and a desire to improve their welfare My first week was near the end and what a fantastic experience it was I cannot recommend enough to everyone in the UK who qualify to apply for the Fellowship You may be like me and feel you would not be a worthy winner but please put an application in as this is something you will remember for the rest of your life Saturday morning saw me travelling back to Washington Dulles Airport for my trip to Denver to experience the 70th AALAS National meeting I arrived pretty early on Saturday afternoon and I met up with fellow Brits to have a beer or two ahead of the registration on the Sunday afternoon Sunday Evening was the PMI LabDiet USA and European Technician of the year event where recipients receive their accolades and give a small speech about their career paths in the industry A massive well done to both recipients both very well deserved For anyone who has not visited AALAS before it is hard to put into words the scale of the meeting There is such a variety of topics of interest that are covered and due to the size some of the interesting talks clash so you have to be selective The quality of the talks and posters are first class and there are so many delegates in attendance you never find yourself just passing time The trade hall is immense similar to the IAT Congress in the UK but on a much larger scale finding yourself at times in aisles you had not been down before on previous days There was so much to see and learn what was new within the industry

Bulletin Denver Conference Centre February 2020 37

Bulletin February 2020 39 Of an evening there was always something going on One night there was a sponsored bowling event and on another I attended the Brits get together Both very enjoyable evenings with excellent company The social side to these events is always congenial and huge thanks must go to all who sponsor and take time out to organise them Wednesday afternoon arrived and importantly the AAALAC International luncheon was taking place where I was to receive my award To say I was nervous about this would be an understatement I don t think I had been that nervous since my wedding day I sat with Jon Wood and he was great in trying to calm me down and he did a fantastic job but so did the two glasses of wine beforehand The time came to go up it was sink or swim My introduction was very humbling in its delivery and I had to try and match it somehow I had written and ripped up about five different speeches but in the end I decided to just go from the heart and say it how it was I hope this is how it came across It was such a lovely touch for previous USA winners to come up to me after Award time Myself Jonathon Wood Datesand and Dr the speech and Kathryn Bayne AAALAC International Executive Director share their stories about their experiences and how they felt as honoured now as I did when they visited the UK as part of their reciprocal prize What will stay with me forever more will be one member of the judging panel approaching me to say that they judged my application and I was indeed a worthy winner for 2019 which was really touching and something I will never forget thank you very much I was presented with my pin badge and it is something I will wear with pride

40 February 2020 Bulletin I had a lovely meal on Thursday evening thanks to the UK sponsors of the Fellowship thank you again Jon it was really appreciated as was your encouragement to me in the run up to the speech I am very grateful In conclusion to my report I can only reinforce what I said in my speech at the AAALAC luncheon and that is apply for this fantastic experience Without the Fellowship you would not see the excellent work that goes into animal care and use programmes in the USA It is an experience that will stay with you for a lifetime As an animal technician it was fantastic to talk to fellow technicians in the USA and appreciate their dedication passion and their willingness to learn from others AAALAC Fellowship pin badge To apply and receive the award it does not matter if you manage 1 or 100 staff It does not matter if you manage 1 or 10 facilities you can still be selected What is important is that you demonstrate a clear passion to improve the lives of the animals we look after on a daily basis and display a strong willingness to help others excel within the profession In winning the Fellowship in 2019 I hope I can inspire others to apply as it is truly an honour and a privilege Report John Waters

42 February 2020 Bulletin Patron Professor Lord Naren Patel KT Chair of Trustees Professor Sir Richard Gardner FIAT Hon FRS Secretary to the Trust Ken Applebee OBE FIAT FRSB Trustees Stephen Barnett MSc Hon FRSB Jasmine Barley MSc FIAT Karen J Gardner Wendy Steel BSc Hons FIAT Registered Charity Number 113319 Registered Office 5 South Parade Summertown Oxford OX2 7JL BRET supports Higher Education for Animal Technical Staff We are pleased to announce that the Biological Research Education Trust BRET has generously allocated 5 000 to provide bursaries for Animal Technical staff who want to follow the IAT Higher Education programme but who cannot get funding from other sources They have asked AS ET to allocate the bursaries in the normal way but the recipients will be referred to as BRET scholars We are very grateful to the trustees of BRET for this allocation as it increases the support for higher education in animal technology If you would like to be considered for a BRET or AS ET bursary the process is the same go to the bursary page of the AS ET website www as et org uk and complete the application form AS ET Congress Bursary Essay Competition We are delighted to announce that the winner of the Congress Bursary competition was Rebecca McClean from FERA Science There were several entries this year and the standard was very high but Rebecca s entry was the judges unanimous choice Rebecca receives an all expenses paid trip

44 February 2020 Bulletin to AST2020 in Edinburgh the tripartite meeting organised between the IAT LASA and LAVA and replaces the usual IAT Congress this year We look forward to seeing Rebecca in Bonny Scotland next month Danceathon 2020 Strictly AS ET Danceathon 2020 takes place on Friday 3rd July at a central London venue The 8 hour danceathon starting at 12pm with a large team of sponsored dancers and all comers will be encouraged to pay to dance or pay to watch There will be a diverse dance programme with instructed sessions on salsa urban line hip hop so come along and join in the fun Full details will be published before the event but please put it in your diaries Organised by the West Middlesex and London branches all proceeds will go to AS ET West Middlesex Branch Technician Trade Day The AS ET stand will be at the WMB Trade Day on 18th February If you will be there please drop by the stand to see us It looks like another very interesting day The day is free but you have to register at www iat wmb2020 eventbrite co uk

AS ET is aBulletin charity set up to advance education and promote May 2014 excelle 15 the care Bulletin and welfare of animals used in science February 2020 45 To see how you can apply for a bursary visit our website www as et T is is a charity setset upup toto advance education and promote excellence in ET a charity advance education and promote excellence The companies listed below sponsor AS ET If you would like to join care and welfare ofof animals used in in science e care and welfare animals used science find out how to support us by looking at our website ee how you can apply forfor a bursary visit our website www as et org u see how you can apply a bursary visit our website www as et org AS ET set up to advance education andpromote promote excellence in AS ETis charityset setup upto toadvance advanceeducation educationand excellence AS ET isisaaacharity charity excellence in in the of animals used science thecare careand andwelfare welfare ofanimals animalsused used inscience science the care and welfare of inin companies listed below sponsor AS ET If If you would like toto join them e companies listed below sponsor AS ET you would like join the AS ETisisa acharity charitytoset up to education advance education andexcellence promote excellence AS ET advance and promote in the carein out how toto support usus byanimals looking atinat our website the care and welfare of used science d out how support by our website and welfare of animals used in looking science see howyou you canapply apply for bursary visit our www as et org uk ToTo see how can for aa bursary visit our website www as et org uk To see how you can apply for a bursary visit our website www as et org uk To see how you can apply for a bursary visit our website www as et org uk Sponsors of AS ET are listed below and to find out morewould pleaselike visitto the join The companies listed below sponsor AS ET Ifyou you join them The companies listed below sponsor AS ET you them The companies listed below sponsor AS ET IfIf would like to to join them website www as et org uk find out howto tosupport support usby by looking atour our website find how support us by looking our website find out how us looking atat Theout companies listed below sponsor AS ET If website you would like to join them find out how to support us by looking at our website

Bulletin February 2020 47 DIARY Dates 18 February IAT West Middlesex Branch 9th Annual Technician Symposium London Details https 6a18642f f788 41d5 acd07bcff8782988 filesusr com ugd a30180_bea 0ebb5213b451d9431d846d36c798a pdf 25 February Nominated Assessors Course Cambridge Details https www ubs admin cam ac uk trainingcentre cpd courses nominated assessorscourse 25 27 February Nominated Assessors Course Cambridge Details https www ubs admin cam ac uk trainingcentre cpd courses nominated assessorscourse 26 February The Surrey Hampshire and Sussex Branch AGM South of England Details Fran Whitmore pirbright ac uk 4 6 March Organizing and Operating Activities in a Rodent Animal Facility Milan Details https www fondazioneguidobernardini or g en programs course organizing andoperating activities in a rodent animalfacility milan italy html Front cover Denver Cow 11 March The Foundation Course in Tecniplast IVCs England Details info tecniplastuk com 19 March NIO Workshop London Details info learningcurvedevelopment co uk 23 March RSPCA meeting Focus on Fish Edinburgh Details https science rspca org uk sciencegroup re searchanimals meetings 24 26 March AST 2020 Edinburgh Details https www ast2020 org and page 16 6 8 April Pathology of Laboratory Animals Module 3 Pathology of pigs and ferrets Utrecht Details https www fondazioneguidobernardini or g en programs yearly workshop series onpathology of laboratory animals module3 pathology of pigs and ferrets html 20 21 April NACWO Workshop Hertfordshire Details info learningcurvedevelopment co uk Photo Lynda Westall