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Institute of Animal Technology Bulletin G G G Graduation Special Report AAALAC Fellowship Award Trip New Deputy Editor G G G NIO Forum Branch News Diary Dates Vol 53 No 11 November 2017

Bulletin Vol 53 No 11 November 2017 EDITOR Carole Wilson bulletineditor iat org uk ASSISTANT EDITOR 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 January Bulletin 1st December The opinions expressed in the Bulletin do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor or the Institute CONTENTS Dear Readers 5 Graduation Report 7 15 Members Elected to MIAT and FIAT 17 NIO Forum Deputy Editor 20 21 21 Suppliers Register i xlvi AAALAC Fellowship Award Trip 27 33 Branch News 35 44 Diary Dates 47

Bulletin November 2017 Dear Readers Welcome to the November edition of the Bulletin This month we celebrate the achievements of all of those graduating IAT Diploma Levels 4 5 and 6 Laboratory Animal Science and Technology see the special report for more information My congratulations to all the graduates and if their achievements have inspired you then have a look at the IAT website at the opportunities offered http www iat org uk qualifications In other Bulletin news the USA AAALAC International Fellowship winner Kati Marshall gives an account of her time in the UK on page 27 It sounds like Kati had a great time while she was here having a very comprehensive overview of animal technology in the UK The eagle eyed among you may have noticed articles in the Bulletin written by Karen Dunford We now welcome her to the Bulletin as the deputy editor See her biography on page 21 We have worked together for years and she will be a great asset to the Bulletin her eye for detail is much greater than mine Speaking of eye for detail I owe Matt Bilton an apology in the August Bulletin I overlooked a typo the paper he reviewed was 20 years old not 10 Sorry Matt I also managed to advertise a ferret enrichment paper review last month which did not appear in the Bulletin Sorry to anyone who feels cheated the ferret enrichment paper review will be appearing next month along with another paper review from Matt and the Animal Welfare Group which I hope will go to press with no typos Until next month Happy R eadi ng Carole 5

Bulletin November 2017 IAT Diploma Levels 4 5 6 Laboratory Animal Science Technology Awarded by Institute of Animal Technology Graduation Ceremony IAT GRADUATION SPECIAL Congratulations to all the successful HE Students Council would like to congratulate all the IAT HE students for their outstanding achievement in passing their exams Carmen Abela giving the student presentation 7

8 November 2017 Bulletin On Wednesday 13th September 2017 the Graduation Ceremony took place at the UCL School of Pharmacy Brunswick Square London for students who had completed the IAT Diploma Levels 4 5 6 Laboratory Animal Science Technology It was a special day enjoyed by students and their families who could share in the success It was a great day enjoyed by the students and their families and guests The Guest of Honour was Professor Robin Lovell Badge FRS FMedSci

Bulletin November 2017 9 Ken Applebee OBE FIAT FRSB Chair of Council Students family lecturers and guests enjoying the graduation The School of Pharmacy was a wonderful venue and we would like to thank the staff who looked after us so well

10 November 2017 Bulletin The following students have been awarded IAT Diploma Levels 4 5 6 Laboratory Animal Science Technology IAT Diploma 4 2010 Deborah Adams Pauline Attlesey David Belsom Danielle Cox Claire Darnborough Louise Fisher Karen Fry Jolene Hammonds Maj Simonsen Teresa Brandon Daniel Hart Victoria Lacey Patrick Mason Kieran McManamon Peter Morgan Sally Anne Thomas IAT Diploma 4 2011 Helena Clarke John Farr Sarah Lawton Claire Pearce Helen Read IAT Diploma 4 2012 Vanessa Andrews Samantha Calvert Susan Doughty Francesca Flack Samantha Izzard Sylvie Mehigan Kevin Stewart Lynne Todd Julie Wallace James Ward Jenny Watson Gareth Wild Caroline Wilson IAT Diploma 4 2013 Carmen Abela Samantha Dinnage Stuart Hamilton Adam Johnson Peter Miller Roxanne Wood IAT Diploma 4 2014 Jo Ann Cousins Lucy Fisher Nicola Goodwin Marie Hitcham Laura Hutchins Stephanie MacDonald Barbara Rudling Clare Sims Helen Cooper Claire Knox Amy Ruggerio IAT Diploma 4 2015 Ian Bagley Matthew Bilton Carla Foley Colette Manley Lena Ionnou Noelle Sexton Caroline Zverev IAT Diploma 4 2016 James Bussell Catherine Gillan Victoria Hearn Adam Phillips Sinead Rollo Ania Sobczak Emma Tozer Michelle Warburton IAT Diploma 4 2017 Richard Berks Casey Collins Claire Custance Sarah Fletcher Deborah Galley Emma Gilmore Sarah Grocott Selina Hopkins Jonathan Lock Clare Millum Lisa Wright Jennifer Needham IAT Diploma 5 2014 Vanessa Andrews Samantha Calvert Danielle Cox Louise Fisher Karen Fry Jolene Hammonds Sarah Lawton Patrick Mason Sylvie Mehigan Claire Pearce Helen Read Kevin Stewart Sally Anne Thomas IAT Diploma 5 2015 Carmen Abela Peter Miller Clare Sims Caroline Wilson Roxanne Wood IAT Diploma 5 2016 James Bussell Francesca Flack Samantha Izzard Barbara Rudling IAT Diploma 5 2017 Ian Bagley Richard Berks Matthew Bilton Samantha Calvert Sarah Grocott Ania Sobczak Emma Tozer IAT Diploma 6 2017 Samantha Calvert Sarah Lawton Middlesex University BSc Professional Practice in Laboratory Animal Science Level 6 Vanessa Andrews Danielle Cox Patrick Mason Sylvie Mehigan Helen Read Kevin Stewart

Bulletin November 2017 11 Overview of the IAT HE Programme The IAT acts as the professional body for persons engaged in laboratory animal of the ItIAT HE only Programme breeding care Overview and maintenance is the organisation that directly supports the interests of animal technologists in UK Asanimal a recognised The IAT acts as the professional body for persons engaged inthe laboratory breeding Ofqual Awarding Organisation the IAT develops manages and quality care and maintenance It is the only organisation that directly supports the interests of assures qualifications that are widely recognised within academia and the animal technologists in the UK As a recognised Ofqual Awarding Organisation the IAT biotechnology industry in the UK and abroad develops manages and quality assures qualifications that are widely recognised within academia and the biotechnology industry in the UK and abroad The IAT Higher Education HE programme aims to provide an internationally The IAT Highereducation Education HE programme that aims ensures to provideanimal an internationally recognised recognised programme technologists and other laboratory science professionals are prepared meet their legal and ethical education programme that ensures animal technologiststoand other laboratory science responsibilities in providing standards of welfare for laboratory animals It professionals are prepared to meet high their legal and ethical responsibilities in providing high also provides suitable knowledge skills for the knowledge future enhancement standards of welfare for laboratory animals Itand also provides suitable and skills for the of animal welfare good science ensure areare suitable future enhancement of animal welfare and good to science and animal to ensuretechnologists animal technologists for personal and career advancement suitable for personal and career advancement The HE is made of units are four units atare each level units Any ofattheeach IAT units The HEprogramme programme is up made upThere of units There four level Any can be taken as standalone continual professional development units by those wanting to of the IAT units can be taken as standalone continual professional update their skills knowledge and behaviours but who are unable to commit to the full development units by those wanting to update their skills knowledge and qualification but who are unable to commit to the full qualification behaviours Admiss ion Admission criteria criteria Level 4 Level 4 IAT Level in IAT Level33Diploma Diploma in Laboratory Animal Laboratory Animal Science Science Technology Technology Relevant work Relevant work Level 5 Level 5 IAT Level Diploma IAT Level 44 Diploma in Laboratory in Laboratory Animal Science Animal Science Technology Technology Level 6 Level 6 IAT Level in IAT Level5 5Diploma Diploma in Laboratory Laboratory Animal Animal Science Science Technology Technology Applied Applied learning learning and and development skills skills for development for science science Animal facility Animal facility supervisory supervisory management skills management skills Biological science Biological science Animal Animal law law and and ethics ethics Experimental Experimental design design Toxicology Toxicology Genetic alteration Genetic alteration GA GA Physiology of pain pain and and Physiology of stress Animal facility stress Animal facility management and management and design design Project building design Project building design and management and management Credit points Credit points Level 44 120 120 Level Level 4 4 120 Level 120 Level 5 5 120 Level 120 Exit Exit qualification s IATLevel Level44Diploma Diplomain IAT in Laboratory Animal Laboratory Animal Science Science Technology QCF 601 4151 7 Technology QCF IATLevel Level55Diploma Diplomain IAT in Laboratory Animal Laboratory Science Technology Animal Science QCF 601 4156 6 Technology QCF 601 4156 6 Units Units qualification s Level 4 120 Level5 5120 120 Level 4 120 Level Level 6 120 Level 6 120 IATlevel Level6 6Diploma Diplomain IAT in Laboratory Animal Laboratory Science Technology Animal Science QCF 601 4157 8 Technology QCF 601 4157 8

12 November 2017 Bulletin Animal technology requires integration with a broad range of disciplines Senior animal technologists are expected to communicate effectively with a range of key personnel including scientists veterinarians Named Persons under the Animal Scientific Procedures Act building engineers and other technical professionals for example histologists and pathologists They require a broad knowledge of many disciplines and the ability to understand the key points of scientific practice building design and management good animal management and welfare disease recognition and control and a thorough understanding of the key legislation controlling the use of animals for research The HE programme provides a wide range of skills knowledge and behaviours which help the students integrate effectively with their professional colleagues As science and animal welfare are rapidly evolving areas there is a responsibility on animal technologists to continually update their skills and knowledge base which all of these students have demonstrated very effectively over the course of their studies Studying at any level is hard but when you have to balance your studies with a full time job and commitments to friends and family it becomes very difficult Although the units are delivered through a mix of formal taught sessions tutorials group work and practical activities most of the work is done by the students on their own in their own time This requires high levels of commitment and effort and some degree of self sacrifice if it is to be managed well It also requires the students to develop excellent time management and prioritisation skills to juggle their commitments successfully

Bulletin November 2017 13 Lecturers for the HE Programme David Anderson BVMS MVM MRCVS Simon Anderson PhD Ken Applebee OBE FIAT FRSB Jas Barley MSc FIAT RAnTech Pilar Browne BSc FIAT James Bussell MIAT Gary Childs BSc Hons FIAT RAnTech Sue Cooper BSc Hons Chris Cordon BSc Hons CChem MRSC Steven Cubitt MSc FIAT RAnTech Hayley Daniels MBA MSc MIAT RAnTech CIPD Brendan Doe PhD Helmut Ehall BSc Hons CChem MRSC Glyn Fisher FIAT RAnTech NACWO NIO Paul Flecknell MA Vet MB PhD DLAS DECVAA DECLAM FRCVS Hon FIAT Hon Nicky Gent FIAT RAnTech Diane Hazlehurst MIAT RAnTech Chris Jeffs BSc Hons CChem MRSC Susie Knight MA CIPD Auriol Lamb Cubitt BA Hons Dip CG QCG PTTLS PGCert MA Chris Lelliott PhD Brian Lowe MSc FIAT PGCE Carol Luck MSc Norman Mortell BA Hons MIAT RAnTech Steve Owen FIAT RAnTech Alan Palmer MIAT RAnTech Simon Pitchford BSc PhD Ed Ryder PhD Paul Sanders MIAT RAnTech Lynda Westall FIAT RAnTech We have also been fortunate with the support we have received from industry in terms of using specialist facilities to support the students and we would like to thank all of the organisations that have let us use their facilities Tecniplast Envigo University of Cambridge Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute The Francis Crick Institute Newcastle University The University of Manchester Tecniplast Envigo University of Cambridge Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute The Francis Crick Institute Newcastle University The University of Manchester Moving Forward The College of Laboratory Animal Science Technology CLAST has been set up to provide the specialist training and education required at this level of Moving Forwardthat has been set up to deliver study CLAST is a non profit course provider Higher Education qualifications technology Theset IAT The College of Laboratory Animal Sciencein animal Technology CLAST has been upcontinues to provide to the specialist training and education required now at thisdelivers level of study CLAST is a all non profit award the qualifications but CLAST and assesses of the Level course provider that has been set up to deliver Higher Education qualifications in animal 4 5 and 6 units and qualifications technology The IAT continues to award the qualifications but CLAST now delivers and assesses all of the Level 4 5 and 6 units and qualifications CLAST is managed by a board of five trustees who have the responsibility to CLAST is managed by a boardand of five trustees who have the responsibility to ensure the provision ensure the provision delivery of high quality education and training at a and delivery of high quality education and training at a reasonable cost The trustees are also reasonable cost The trustees are also responsible for ensuring the trust responsible for ensuring the trust complies with its legal responsibilities as a charity and that complies with its legal responsibilities as a charity and that financial and other financial and other records are submitted to the Charity Commission as required records are submitted to the Charity Commission as required College of Laboratory Animal Science Technology

14 November 2017 Bulletin Board of Trustees Chair Ken Applebee OBE FIAT FRSB Secretary David Spillane FIAT RAnTech Members Gary Childs BSc Hons FIAT RAnTech Ngaire Dennison MA VetMB MRCVS Paul Flecknell MA VetMB PhD DLAS FRCVS Sara Wells PhD CLAST continues to draw upon the support of industry experts who teach and assess the qualifications CLAST will also be looking to support the industry in developing and delivering new CPD short courses over the coming years Apprenticeships An apprenticeship programme combines workplace experience with education and training Apprenticeships are currently available and are being developed across a wide range of industries and sectors including science and technology CLAST will be investigating the availability of apprenticeships to add further value to employers and students and to see if they help establish financial sustainability for years to come Stephen Barnett Earlier this year Stephen Barnett decided to stand down from CLAST Steve is extremely well known throughout the industry for the tremendous contribution he has made to laboratory animal science and technology Throughout his career Steve has been dedicated to ensuring that laboratory animal welfare and science has been carried out to the highest standards However Steve is best known for the contribution and dedication he has shown giving animal technologists a chance to develop and improve themselves through education and training Steve taught for many years at the City of Westminster College formerly Paddington College where he inspired a great many animal technologists many of whom have gone on to manage animal facilities or taken on other careers based on the knowledge and skills he passed on However it is not just the knowledge and skills that have helped these technologists succeed in the workplace it is the friendship and support that he has continued to give technologists even when they have long left the college that has helped so many of us achieve more than we ever would on our own Steve is a Vice President and Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Animal Technology and a Trustee of Animals in Science Education Trust We all wish him well

Bulletin November 2017 15 The HE programme would have struggled to continue without attracting sufficient funding and student numbers AS ET has played a big part in supporting the students who wanted to study but needed some financial support AS ET is a charity registered under the UK charity law with the objective to advance education and promote excellence in the care and welfare of animals used in science The Trust achieves its objective by providing bursaries for education and training courses supporting the development of new courses and promoting the production of teaching packages We also provide prizes to encourage people to undertake further education and training Three AS ET prizes will be presented at this graduation ceremony The AS ET Trustees would like to congratulate the graduates who have successfully undertaken a demanding course extending their knowledge and making them better able to promote excellence in the care and welfare of animals used in science We hope many other technologists will follow their example If any potential student has difficulty in raising the registration fee AS ET will be happy to consider an application for a bursary For further details visit www as et org uk It s all about you become an HE student Steve Cubitt Secretary Board of Educational Policy

Bulletin November 2017 Election to Membership MIAT and Fellowship FIAT of the Institute Council are delighted to announce that at the September 2017 meeting the following members have upgraded their IAT membership Those having obtained their IAT Level 3 qualification and Practical Animal Handling and Health Module being elected as a full voting member and can now use the designatory letters MIAT Louis Kitchenham Zoe Windsor Lauren Pickford Waldemar Woznica Those having obtained their IAT Level 6 qualification or equivalent being elected as a Fellow of the Institute and can now use the designatory letters FIAT Sarah Lawton Congratulations to them all on their achievement Further details on requirements and how to apply can be found on the IAT website or from the IAT Administrator admin iat org uk 17

20 November 2017 Bulletin NIO Forum N amed Information Officers are required to find and provide information for those who request it As the role is a relatively new addition to British laboratory animal facilities some NIOs may find it challenging to uncover requested information expeditiously Below are some resources that NIOs may find useful in their investigations JoVE JoVE is a peer reviewed video journal and science education library JoVE is innovative in that it allows people to see techniques rather than reading the instructions It covers multiple STEM subjects as well as some animal husbandry videos NIOs can encourage their researchers and animal technicians to submit publications to JoVE additionally JoVE can organise the video production with each applicant so there are no AV skills required The website has clear guidelines on how to submit a publication including a manuscript template with an example of what is needed in each section and a step by step explanation of the application form To publish on the only peer reviewed video journal visit www jove com publish Home Office Guidelines It may seem obvious but sometimes it can useful to consult the Guidance on the Operation of the Animal Scientific Procedures Act 1986 Written in clear English the Guidance should be one of the first resources consulted for questions concerning the legalities of animals in science It can be especially useful for questions on Schedule 1 the legal responsibilities of all licence holders and training requirements for various positions Whilst being one of the most useful publications for understanding the law it is a little outdated and in need of a revision This is particularly true for severity limits which do not include the subthreshold category Free PDFs of the Guidance are available at www gov uk government publications operation of aspa

Bulletin November 2017 Librarians With the advent of the internet during the last three decades libraries may seem obsolete to some researchers However librarians are a font of researching skills They can be contacted for help in not just where to research but how For those working at established research centres such as universities libraries are typically just a short walk away or have guidance on their respective websites University College London for example has an excellent website for research support including how to create a search strategy and how to keep abreast of new information Whilst a simple search engine enquiry may sometimes seem like the fastest option it is not always the best As Neil Gaiman said Google can bring you back 100 000 answers a librarian can bring you back the right one Check out your local library for research support Deputy Editor I started working with zebrafish in 2007 at UCL as a tank cleaner and feeder Currently I am a research assistant and I run our personal licence course for those who wish to work with zebrafish Neither zebrafish nor animal technology are my academic background and I have had to learn as I go working in the UCL Zebrafish Facility has been both engrossing and exciting Working with zebrafish has always been interesting but I have recently found both the legislative and ethical aspects of animals in science to be quite intriguing and I would like to explore this facet of our industry more Additionally I have always found languages interesting particularly Greek and Latin and I am fascinated by etymology and grammar I am pleased to get the opportunity to help with IAT Bulletin and put this quirky interest to use 21

22 November 2017 Bulletin There is still time to apply for the 2018 Award check out the announcement in this issue and email your submission to admin iat org uk Closing date Friday 17th November

YOU VE PUT IN THE HARD WORK SO NOW PUT IN THE POSTER SUBMISSION Cut off date for Oral Presentation submissions is Wednesday 20th December Show your Research and Conclusions to an eager audience at Congress The Poster Secretary has uploaded a helpful information guide on the website giving you tips and hints to design and produce an effective and attractive Poster but first we need your Submission Form Our Exhibitors are very important to us The participation of the Trade Industry is another crucial element of Congress see next month s issue View and download a digital copy of the ITP at www iat org uk congress html We have a One Stop online system for Registering check out the website for the NEW guidance information Terms and Conditions apply for all Registrants Early bird discounts available up to Sunday 17th December To discuss any aspect of Congress or if you have any questions for the Congress Committee please contact us at congress iat org uk Check for updates www iat org uk

Bulletin November 2017 27 AAALAC Fellowship Award Trip Kati Marshall M y mantra for this adventure and it was an adventure was you don t know what you don t know Things I do know there will always be a better mouse trap or in this case a better mouse house The hard part is finding it Sometimes you have to make your own cobbling together several amazing ideas into one solid creation That has been the crux of my trip finding the good ideas and figuring out how to bring them back to the States Reduction Refinement Replacement The Concordat on Openness has changed how research in the UK is conducted The use of every animal including mice and rats is openly disclosed each year Universities post this information on their websites Videos are readily available showing the conditions in which the animals are housed I didn t visit a single AAALAC accredited facility but every facility I toured had standards as high as those required by AAALAC The environments of all animals not just the larger species were robust and enriched to a level I ve not seen outside of primate or dog housing I toured six facilities during my ten day adventure Francis Crick Institute which is beautiful Centre for Macaques at Porton Down Kings College London MRC Laboratory for Molecular Biology Cambridge MRC LMB Cambridge University and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute I visited rodent barrier facilities zebrafish vivarium university farms state of the art embryo manipulation labs and support facilities that truly seem like something out of the dream of a sustainability manager Here s a sneak peek from my travel journal The facility at the Francis Crick Institute is a wonder in its own right It s just a bit above the tube and is nearly as deep as it is tall I was able to visit with short tailed opossums socialize newly acquired ferrets and bask in the glory that are their mouse rooms Their zebrafish facility was the first I ve ever visited and I was stunned at the scope One theme for this week relates to the Agreement of Consortium and the transparency associated with that concept I was impressed how seriously they take this idea Each area schoolchild is expected to visit The Crick at least once per year till ending public education The building has a science lab for the students which can easily be viewed from the street This allows any passersby to view the day s activities When I was there they were doing a bit of chemistry which looked quite fun

30 November 2017 Bulletin My next visit was to the Porton Down Centre for Macaques The macaques quite simply have the best housing I ve seen in my nearly 30 year career I knew that they were housed on bedding and was quite keen to chat with the husbandry staff about how that goes As expected it s physically challenging Despite the physicality the staff do not skimp on the bedding as the bedding is key to many elements especially the foraging These monkeys must as in the wild forage for their food Monkey chow is formatted specifically to that end it is quite small enabling it to be tossed among the bedding Vegetables are provided chopped into small pieces for forage The animals also get a complex foraging mix with a multitude of fine grains and seeds With three feedings a day it s conceivable that they could spend upwards of 6 hours per day working for their food well worth the offset of staff labor Part of the work done by the staff involves habituating the monkeys to people I m quite used Top row From upper right Paddington Station Cotswold Farm Park MRC LMB Cambridge

Bulletin November 2017 31 to rhesus and am rarely surprised by their antics That being said it says a lot about the training and socializing with people when I found myself greeted more by curiosity than aggressive posturing The runs all have knob controlled mirrors which provide viewing opportunities for the animals Every Fellowship winner speaks of these mirrors as they well should as they are nothing short of brilliant It s been interesting seeing differences and similarities between the zebrafish facilities As I have no working knowledge of this particular fish I ve found myself asking even more questions The facility at King s College London was immense There are so many tanks that they utilize a robotic feeder The associated barcode system is equally complex and brilliant in its design Centre Cotswold Farm Park IAT Program Bottom IAT Congress MRC LBM Cambridge University I have a little secret to share when I first read my trip agenda and saw the appointment at Understanding Animal Research I was a bit dismissive I mean I ve

32 November 2017 Bulletin been doing this for quite some time I m pretty sure I ve both drank the KoolAid and have gotten the message Again I remind you of my trip mantra you don t know what you don t know Sure I may know an insider s perspective regarding research but I m lacking as is much of the US about the concept of transparency When we in the industry hedge as we answer what we do for a living when we gloss over the fine details we continue to wrap research in mystery and suspicion UAR is working to break through those barriers The UK has made a commitment to its citizens to be as transparent about what goes on in our basements and behind our security doors as is possible I learned more about lobbying and educating our officials in 30 minutes of talking with Chris Magee than I ve learned in the past 27 years in the industry I found a new energy after my time talking with Tom Holder who in addition to being on the UAR staff founded Speaking of Research back in 2008 My time at UAR may have been the most valuable It s also a valuable an example of my being happy to be wrong Every facility provided me with new insight and the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology was no different This day was filled with information I was able to see elements of egg and sperm harvest embryo collection cryopreservation recovery and implantation of previously frozen embryos I selected this as my focus as it s an aspect of which I know bare basics It was amazing to have an opportunity to have so many pieces stitched together into a comprehensive package This can only help me provide better service to my researchers The staff at the University of Cambridge had the challenging job of answering all of my many and varied questions Their facilities are both diverse and complex and it s clear that the staff are fiercely proud of their level of care as they well should be While I was as excited as a kid at Christmas to visit the marmoset facility I was equally enthusiastic to see the bird behavioral facility My bird research experiences have been limited to finches and I was quite keen to see other elements I was not disappointed The rooks and jays have quite the elaborate set up Quite complex and rich They have an indoor outdoor flight run which they spend much of their time redecorating I m proud to say that I was able to feed them some mealworms by hand The jays were a bit standoffish but were willing to endure my proximity for the tasty snacks I ve worked on farms with cattle horses and sheep but have never before had the pleasure of visiting a research facility until now The University Farm was as complex as one would hope and left me with many tales to share Part of my Fellowship Award included participating at the Institute of Animal Technology IAT Congress both as an attendee and a presenter I chatted

Bulletin November 2017 33 with sales reps from all over the world and was introduced to some cuttingedge equipment not yet seen in the US I attended a workshop on rat housing and humane care that left me reeling with new ideas and intent on making changes in how we in the States manage our rats Another workshop was a hands on introduction to environmental monitoring for rodent pathogens a project Dr Martin and I have been working on for just over two years This is a new concept in the UK but very much ties in to their dedication to reducing the numbers of animals used in facilities I was able to share my experiences and am certain that my peers in the UK will adopt this technology with gusto Time and time again I was struck by the culture of care present throughout the UK but there was one moment in particular that stood out The week prior to my visit Cambridge University had finished pouring concrete for some new outdoor pens As we walked by the new section I saw hoof prints embedded in the new concrete Written next to the hoof prints was one name Lucy Lucy is currently an 11 year old sheep who acts as the matriarch for all the flocks The staff utilizes her willingness to lead as a means of shifting flocks from one pasture to another and she s done so for years They memorialized her by asking her to walk through the setting concrete The image I have of that dried section is one that will stay in my heart for many years to come as it s one of my favorite tales of my trip It epitomizes the compassion care and dedication to the animals that I saw again and again throughout my week I ve been asked how this experience will benefit the animals under my care If I have learned nothing else over my nearly 30 year career I ve learned that while change is slow it s still possible for one person to make an impact We ve already started implementing more humane handling methods for one group of medically fragile mice I ve been in touch with our main supplier of caging to see if they can develop a prototype for a rat cage that better meets their physical and psychological needs while ensuring staff is still protected from allergens We continue to refine our environmental monitoring reducing the number of animals used to ascertain the health of the colony We re even looking at sustainability changes that if implemented would reduce our carbon footprint while still ensuring the health of our animals is maintained to our high standards Those are just the changes in the SLAU I m also hopeful that some of my experiences will shape primate housing in the future As the kids on the internet say TL DR It s hard to share this adventure succinctly as I have so much to tell Being selected for this huge honour was only part of my experience Sharing my perspective with others in the research community is the other part If you want to hear more feel free to reach out As the highlight of my career I m more than happy to chat about my tales from the other side of the pond

Bulletin November 2017 35 IAT Cambridge Branch Animal Technologist Month 2017 I AT Animal Technologist Month was held during March and the IAT Cambridge Branch took this opportunity to celebrate all the great work our technicians do for welfare and science within the animal technology industry Facilities in Cambridge were encouraged to hold their own events and the IAT Cambridge branch planned their own special treat We wanted to show all our local technicians how much they are appreciated and not just our IAT members but also our non members especially those working in the service areas who equally deserve recognition for their contribution and hard work Each facility received a large box or several of Krispy Kreme doughnuts animal face mask games and lanyards with the new IAT logo which all seemed to go down very well Collecting that many doughnuts took armylike organisation with drop 1 drop 2 drop 3 and drop 4 creating a now close relationship with the Krispy Kreme staff It took a several trips with a few funny looks and comments such as you got a spare one love but we made it around all the units We hope everyone enjoyed the surprise deliveries and we hope to participate in Animal Technologist Month again in 2018 Reporter Tara Leonie

Bulletin University of Cambridge Stem Cell facility looking good University of Cambridge CBS enjoying their doughnuts November 2017 37

Bulletin November 2017 39 Cambridge Branch Ten Pin Bowling Night O n Wednesday 10th of May 2017 the Cambridge branch took to the bowling alley for our annual bowling event The evening itself is a key event in the calendar and has been sponsored by Agenda for many years It brings techs from all over the Cambridge area together for an evening of fun and the chance to win the trophy and some bubbly Keeping it fresh this year we changed the format and took the score from the first round only which worked really well as we had lots of people stay for the prize giving ceremony The evening was entertaining and everybody enjoyed themselves catching up with colleagues and making new friends There were some very high scoring teams and individual scores maybe some secret pros in the mix Congratulations to the highest scoring team Tecniplast with an outstanding total score of 768 And congratulations to Alistair also from Tecniplast with an amazing individual score of 189 Thank you to everyone who came and made it a great night Reporter Scott Kemp

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Bulletin November 2017 43 North West Branch Trip to Knowsley Safari Park O n a remarkably warm and sunny day in September a merry band of 30 NW Branch members gathered in the car park at Knowsley Safari Park for a day out to remember Amazingly everyone arrived early and most of us had time over a coffee to debate whether we would need our sunglasses yes coats maybe and wellies surprisingly no Jen the site s vet and our wonderful guide for the day arrived and herded us like leaping gazelles to the meeting point where the safari bus was picking us up It turned out that she wasn t due to be working that day so massive thanks to her for taking time out to be with us We got on the bus like a troop of baboons actual collective noun and settled down for our tour We were then joined by Joe who was one of the keepers and he gave a running commentary through the first section We learnt that the deer were just about to come into rut and it only takes one season to grow their antlers We were then joined by another keeper Paul who was rugged looking with a mane of lion like hair Imagine our surprise when he started to speak and sounded completely different In the words of Ian Fielding getting Barry Gibb to do the tour of the Lions and Baboons an unexpected bonus As we wound our way through the rhino section we learnt that this section alone was over 100 acres and bigger than Chester Zoo Their 25 year old mummy rhino Maroo had already birthed 7 calves and was due again in January February Clearly they hadn t provided her with a TV Sadly there are less than 23 000 rhinos left in the world We also met the Ginger Mafia who are more formally known as forest buffalo Apparently they are pretty mean but lived in the same area as the rhinos pretty happily Soon we got to the part everyone was waiting for the baboon enclosure Having been previously to Knowsley in a private car I ve never been brave enough to drive through the baboon enclosure and it was soon clear to see why all of the 260 baboons on site are highly intelligent and extremely inquisitive They are used to cars and

44 November 2017 Bulletin visitors and are not backwards in coming forward Our bus had ropes on the sides to encourage the animals to climb and it was a matter of seconds before they were on the roof of the bus and swinging from the ropes Amazing We watched the other cars drive through and have windscreen wipers removed wing mirrors tampered with and window seals picked at I m not sure that the Enterprise hire van visitors were going to get their full deposit back After the baboons came the lions who were all having a lovely snooze in the sun Then it was the tigers who we just about saw in the distance We continued round the road and saw heaps of other animals until we were back at the car park and somehow had spent nearly 2 hours on the bus At this point Jen left us to go back to her real life After lunch we were treated to a tour behind the scenes of the elephant house and learnt a bit about the positive reinforcement training programme that meant the keepers could get up close to the elephants without having to sedate them They will happily present their feet for filing and maintenance We then went into the giraffe house and were really in for a treat as we got to feed the giraffe The giraffes are also clicker trained and their keeper showed us this to great effect We were then shown the bush dogs being fed and had a look at the wolves Before we knew it the park was about to close and it was time to go home A fabulous day was had by all even though none of the attendees sent through any comments to use in this report and we hope that we ll be able to repeat the trip in 2018 The NW Branch heavily subsidised this trip which was fantastic Thanks to everyone involved and apologies to anyone that didn t get a place on this oversubscribed trip this time round Nicky Windows Branch Reporter

46 November 2017 Bulletin AS ET Raffle FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY A personal tour of the House of Lords followed by lunch in the Lords Dining Room AS ET is organising a prize draw to raise funds for the trust There are three amazing prizes G A tour of the House of Lords followed by lunch in the House for two people by invitation of AS ET Patron Lord Patel KT G A cash prize of 400 G A cash prize of 200 The holder of the first ticket drawn will have the choice of which prize they want to take The date of the visit will be arranged between Lord Patel and the winner All visitors to Parliament have to undergo a security clearance Tickets are 10 each and can be obtained from Elaine Kirkum at elaine lbs biotech com or by contacting AS ET at contact as et org uk The draw will take place on 1st December 2017 Limited tickets so make sure you get yours early AS ET is grateful to these companies who have sponsored the cash prizes

Bulletin November 2017 DIARY Dates 21 22 November 2017 Learning Curve NACWO 2 day Workshop Edinburgh Details from info learningcurvedevelopment co uk 22 November AS ET Lecture Newcastle Details from www as et org uk 23 24 November Fondazione Guido Bernardini The implementation of the 3Rs in the experimental design Milan Italy Details from secretary fondazioneguidoberna rdini org 28 30 November LASA Annual Conference Birmingham Details from info lasa co uk 8 December RSPCA Lay Members Forum London Details from research animals rspca org uk 2018 January 4th staggered 1 day per week for 4 5 weeks Learning Curve Award in Education and Training formerly PTLLS Cambridge Details from info learningcurvedevelopment co uk 30th January Red Kite Biosecurity workshop 2 aimed at facility managers and vets St Georges London Details from training redkitevets co uk 1 December AS ET Raffle closing date See opposite page Cover photo Graduation Day Professor Robin Lovell Badge and Michelle Warburton 47