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Institute of Animal Technology Bulletin G G G Dorothy Woodnott Biosecurity AAALAC Fellowship G G G AS ET News Branch News Diary Dates Vol 54 No 10 October 2018
Bulletin Vol 54 No 10 October 2018 EDITOR Carole Wilson bulletineditor iat org uk CONTENTS ASSISTANT EDITOR Karen Dunford bulletinassistant iat org uk Dear Readers 5 Andrew Blake Tribute Award 6 ADVERTISEMENT MANAGERS PRC Associates Ltd mail prcassoc co uk A Tribute to Dorothy P Woodnott Published monthly by the Institute of Animal Technology Registered Office 5 South Parade Summertown Oxford OX2 7JL Congress Information 7 9 11 AAALAC Fellowship Award Experience 12 22 The Gallery 25 26 Zebrafish Biosecurity 27 29 Biosecurity 31 33 AS ET News 34 37 Steve Moore Memorial Poster Prize 39 40 ISSN 0263 2861 For enquiries other than Bulletin related contact IAT ADMINISTRATOR admin iat org uk or 0800 085 4380 Final copy date for December Bulletin 1st November The opinions expressed in the Bulletin do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor or the Institute BING Caption Competition 41 Technician Month 42 Branch News 43 Diary Dates 47
Bulletin October 2018 De ar Re aders I start my editorial this month with some very sad news Dorothy Paddy Woodnott FIAT has passed away Many of us probably do not remember her but she was a founding member of the Association of Animal Technicians the forerunner of the IAT and her work helped to develop animal technology as the career pathway it currently is and for which we all owe her an immense debt of gratitude A tribute to Dorothy can be read on pages 7 9 Unfortunately the news about Dorothy was not the only sad news John Young the owner of Warwick Printing who publish the Bulletin and ATW has also passed away please read his obituary on page 29 Elsewhere in the Bulletin we have the new Gallery item see pages 24 and 25 and the front cover The front cover was taken by Ailsa Morrison on the Isle of May What a fantastic image I m sure you will all agree Anyone who has images especially those for Christmas send them now and I ll publish them in the December edition I am probably not alone in thinking Congress seems like a distant memory but as a reminder of it Michelle Wallace Fields writes about her experiences as the American winner of the AAALAC Fellowship including attending Congress see pages 16 22 This year s was so successful we are going to have to work hard to top that effort Congress is not the only IAT event see pages 39 and 40 for the Steve Moore Memorial Poster Prize Event I attended this year and it was a great day out Congratulations to all the poster winners very well deserved Of course we have many other things to do and events to attend This is your last chance to enter The Andrew Blake Tribute Award page 6 and the BING competition page 41 The diary pages are full of events on page 47 and if that was not enough then Tech Month is running again next March see page 42 Until next time Happy R eadi ng Carole 5
Bulletin October 2018 Dorothy P Paddy Woodnott FIAT I t is with great sadness that I write of the death of Dorothy Woodnott known to her friends as Paddy Paddy was a founder member of the Association of Animal Technicians the precursor of what we now know as the Institute of Animal Technology One of the first generation of professional career animal technicians Paddy was elected to Council in 1950 when working for the MRC Labs in Hampstead London Paddy was elected Chair of Council in 1971 until 1980 then working at the National Institute of Medical Research NIMR located at Mill Hill Paddy coedited the Manual of Animal Technology which was every animal technician s bible during the 60s and 70s When I first went to College they were like hen s teeth and had to be bought second hand Paddy was a Fellow of the IAT and was elected to Life Membership due to her outstanding service to the IAT and its membership She was also a Vice President of the Institute until August 2013 I feel sure that many of our younger readers may not know who Paddy was but we owe a great deal to Paddy and those like her who fought the establishment and felt passionately that those who cared for the animals used in medical science had much more to offer than providing basic husbandry care To progress those in our profession from being termed animal attendants to being recognised as professionals contributing to the worth of scientific advancement was no mean feat back then as you would have seen from the article First Edition published in a recent Bulletin Paddy emigrated to Canada many years ago but remained in constant touch with her old colleagues and the goings on in animal technology At Congress in March 2010 she travelled to Scotland as a special guest to join the IAT in celebrating its Diamond Jubilee I was Honorary Secretary at that time and as such was in contact with Paddy to make arrangements for her visit and accommodation in Aviemore Although I knew who she was and had seen her in times past we had never been formally introduced Paddy had a reputation as being quite a formidable character legend has it that when she sat on Council she would tell a newcomer to sit listen and learn and say nothing A far cry from how Council is run today A colleague reminded me that during our first meeting at that Congress we got in a lift with Paddy and there was a 7
8 October 2018 Bulletin young man in there wearing a baseball cap Paddy reminded him in no uncertain terms that good manners dictated that a young man should remove his hat in the presence of a lady I don t recall that he did remove his cap but he looked fairly amazed at the request I soon realised though what a warm and witty companion Paddy was She joined in with our group of gindrinking ladies her coinage which we continue to call ourselves today We just seemed to hit it off and I thought she was an amazing person so vibrant and knowledgeable and so well travelled She just loved travelling she had friends in New Zealand and was still regularly visiting the UK and Europe up until recently Paddy and I became regular correspondents via real letter writing the first pen pal I had had in many a year I fear she will probably be my last I loved reading of her latest travels and of the trials of the Canadian winters as well as the glory of the summers During her 3 minute interview for the Bulletin she was asked to name something that annoys you She replied untidiness and slovenliness especially in association with the English language a statement I could empathise with I have all her letters still and they are a joy to read Paddy died on 14th September aged 92 having been seriously ill early in 2018 before that she had been talking about joining us at Congress in Harrogate but she had made a good recovery and had a lovely summer Paddy died suddenly without pain or notice at her holiday cottage which was her favourite place and I feel sure it would have been exactly as she wanted Our sympathy and condolences go to Paddy s family and dear friends in both Canada and the UK and to all that knew her She will not be forgotten Wendy Steel
Bulletin October 2018 Ke n A pp leb ee wr i te s I first met Miss Woodnott at the Fellowship Oral examination on a very hot Saturday in 1978 at St Bartholomew s Medical School Miss Woodnott asked me why I had not answered the question in the previous written paper on breeding beagles As I was very nervous coupled with her fearsome reputation I immediately replied that I knew very little about breeding beagles Miss Woodnott raised her eyes and said in which case the next 20 minutes or so could be rather uninteresting Miss Woodnott then took the time to illicit from me what little I did know about beagle breeding in a friendly and kind way Later I served as the Secretary to the Fellowship Board and I was then deemed eligible to call her Paddy and I quickly realised that despite her fearsome reputation which on occasion she did enjoy belied a very kind and warm person All animal technologists owe Paddy and enormous amount of gratitude because without her and others we would not be able to practice our profession and develop a career in a way many now take for granted Co m m en t f r om Pe te G er so n I had the pleasure of working with Dorothy Woodnott Paddy in the late 70s in the Gnotobiotics unit at NIMR She was a formidable lady of high intellect and a demanding work ethic I remember my first day in the unit when I was deputed to clean down all the solid shelves in this unit that she and Marjorie Dinsley were setting up I finished and was rather pleased with myself that I had done a good job until Paddy informed me that all undersides of the shelving also had to be cleaned This set the tone and standard of work expected for the next two years She had a scary reputation but not when you got to know her in the end I felt able to call her Paddy woe betide anyone who had the temerity to call her Paddy if they didn t have permission She was a kind caring person the ultimate professional whom I had nothing but respect and affection for the thought that she is no longer with us is very sad Me m or i es fr o m Ca t h y G od fr e y I too have fond memories of Paddy having also worked with her at NIMR Mill Hill in the 70 s She was a funny kind person who had at times a rather hard exterior but soft interior to her nature Paddy supported the IAT to the end and was a true professional I remember talking about vitamins in one conversation with her and she quite rightly corrected me saying that it was pronounced VITamins as in vital amins something which I never forgot but Paddy did insist on correct grammar She will be missed but not forgotten 9
THINK WRITE CHECK SUBMIT OFFICIAL CALL FOR PAPERS AND WORKSHOPS Venue North West England Yes the closing date is the middle of November but WHY WAIT If you have a good idea for a PAPER or WORKSHOP topic and want to run it past the Congress Committee GET IN TOUCH NOW The Invitation to Participate booklet can now be viewed online and downloaded at www iat org uk congress Here are some suggestions from the 2018 Feedback Survey Colony management Isolator and containment work Refinements or other Rs AWERB involvement Assessing severity Working with unusual species Soft Skills communication skills management for beginners NACWO empowerment and support Animal Behaviour Managing ageing colonies Basic experimental design Genetic technologies Your experience working in different facilities Zebrafish health welfare anaesthesia analgesia Submission forms are available online CLOSING DATE FRIDAY 16TH NOVEMBER Advanced Booking Save 100 off the Full Delegate Package Reductions for ALL Scientific Programme Presenters and for Poster Displays 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
12 October 2018 Bulletin AAALAC Fellowship Award Experience by Michelle Wallace Fields I can t tell you how honored and humbled I was to have been selected as the 2018 AAALAC Fellowship Award winner I have worked in lab animal research for 18 years and this is definitely one of the highlights of my career The opportunity to travel overseas and be exposed to an entirely different group of people and different regulatory system was incredible There were many similarities between the UK and the US in terms of laboratory animal care The one that stands out the most is that all animal facility staff truly care about the health and well being of the animals that they care for This really cemented my belief that compassion and concern for the well being of animals was constant regardless of which side of the pond you came from Another similarity was certification opportunities for technicians The IAT Congress was very similar to that of National AALAS American Association for Laboratory Animal Science in the US but at a slightly smaller scale In addition both the IAT and AALAS promote technician certifications There were also some differences between the UK and the US within our field The first that I became immediately aware of was the openness and transparency of laboratory animal care in the UK They do a fantastic job with public outreach and education more about that later Also of note there is not a differentiation between species in terms of regulatory oversight in the UK In the US there are multiple regulatory bodies that cover all species but to different degrees For example purpose bred rats and mice are not covered by the United States Department of Agriculture USDA while larger species are covered under these regulations This does not mean that rats and mice aren t heavily regulated it just means that they fall under a different regulatory body Another distinct difference is the way that animal facilities are funded My interpretation of the way that many of the UK facilities operate is that they do not charge per diem rates or charge for tech time to assist with the actual research Most of the animal care staff are heavily involved with the research itself in addition to the care and well being of the animals While I was touring facilities I only encountered about 3 members of lab staff actively working in the animal facility The animal facility staff appeared to handle all things associated with the projects that they were assigned to Budgets do not appear to be a hurdle that has to be overcome in the UK While I am sure that they exist in some form the animal facility staff that I interacted with had little
Bulletin October 2018 13 knowledge of the finances involved In the US funding and budgets play heavy in how animal facilities are structured and what services are provided to the research staff particularly in academic settings Per diem rates the charge for the care of one cage of animals for one day are set and adjusted yearly and research staff pay extra for animal care staff to assist them with the research I was very impressed by the animal care staff in the UK they are incredibly focused on the 3Rs in their everyday practices and are excited to share their knowledge with others demonstrated by numerous posters in virtually every animal facility that I visited My journey began in London and my first stop was The Francis Crick Institute a very modern open concept research facility with glass walls Figure 1 Alan Palmer was my tour guide and provided me with my first taste of the regulatory environment in the UK The rodent areas were set up very similarly to that of the US My tour was cut short so that I could attend the NC3Rs National Centre for the Replacement Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research a UK based scientific organization award presentation I was quite lucky to be able to attend this prestigious event I attended 5 presentations from previous award winners with topics covering liver organoids rat behavior utilizing multi level caging environments mouse handling utilizing cupping or tube transfers organs on a chip and dog welfare training for specific behaviors Unfortunately I was not able to stay for the reception which announced the 2017 winner of the 3Rs prize I would encourage a visit to their website www nc3rs org uk for terrific information on what s happening within our field and a great resource for your toolbox My second stop was the Centre for Macaques at Porton Down a breeding facility for rhesus macaques I have had very limited exposure to the use of primates in research and so this was a very rare opportunity for me to be exposed to their care and welfare David Chris Faye and Zeb were fantastic hosts and I appreciate all of the time that they spent with me I learned that they spend a considerable amount of time habituating their macaques to people I was even allowed to assist in this process This was an incredible experience for me I sat on the floor and offered them raisins and peanuts The macaques were a bit leery of me in the beginning but their desire for raisins and peanuts was stronger than their fear of me The staff were incredible and answered my endless barrage of questions and they mentioned that my enthusiasm and delight at visiting their facility was a great reminder to them about what a really amazing job they all have Day three was split into a visit at the Understanding Animal Research UAR headquarters and a visit to Kings College London The staff at the UAR Office were incredible They are truly dedicated to education and outreach about the
16 October 2018 Figure 1 Bulletin
Bulletin October 2018 use of animals in research They visit schools manage an excellent website which I also highly recommend that everyone has in their toolbox www understanding animalresearch org uk monitor legislation and have a plethora of videos and outreach material all in an effort to educate the public about the role of animals in research They launched the Concordat on Openness in May of 2014 The Concordat is a set of 4 commitments for UK based life science organizations to enhance their animal research communications They currently have 120 organizations which have signed the Concordat and are committed to openness and transparency with regard to animals and research The second part of my day was visiting Kings College London Ken Applebee and Bruno da Silva spent a Figure 2 17
18 October 2018 Bulletin considerable amount of time with me and I was very impressed with their zebrafish facility This facility was massive and quite futuristic They have Tritone robotic feeders which were mesmerizing to watch Figure 2 and Figure 3 I learned a lot about their trials and tribulations with regard to zebrafish husbandry and welfare and I brought back many thoughts and ideas for our own zebrafish facility Figure 3 Day four included an early morning train ride to Cambridge where I visited the MRCLaboratory of Molecular Biology LMB Another fantastic group of people Darren Egan was my host and had a fantastic day planned for me Helen James and Leslie also spent time with me as I toured the facility watched staff perform ultrasounds on mice at 9 5 days of gestation for timed pregnant studies as well as learned about microinjections I also got to see their in house training tracking system which was very well done I had a great
Bulletin October 2018 discussion on the IAT during which I started to learn about the importance of the IAT for animal technician development in the UK and the career pathways that are available to those technicians The RAnTech designation occurs after completing level 3 as an Animal Technologist It typically takes about 3 years of experience to achieve this designation and is required to apply for the AAALAC Fellowship Award which is a trip to visit animal facilities in the US and attendance at the National AALAS meeting I would encourage everyone to apply for this award the experience will be worth the work to achieve this designation My day ended with a guided tour of Cambridge by Darren and dinner at the Eagle Tavern with Darren Helen James and Leslie The Eagle Tavern was the location where Watson and Crick announced that they had discovered DNA Day five was a visit to the University of Cambridge Alan Graham was my designated host Figure 4 19
20 October 2018 Bulletin for the day They have a number of animal facilities and species including aquatics macaques marmosets rodents and even an aviary with native birds Figure 4 and Figure 5 I was lucky enough to be able to meet some Marmosets Mini marshmallows are there favorite treat Figure 6 I was so appreciative for that opportunity to interact with them and considerate it a privilege to be allowed to do so Figure 5 Figure 6
Bulletin October 2018 21 Figure 7 Stonehenge Day six and seven were on my own touring all of the hot spots in and around London Including Stonehenge Bath Windsor Castle Tower Bridge Westminster Abbey and many others Figure 7 Day eight started with a train back to Cambridge to visit the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute The Sanger Institute has started the process of becoming AAALAC accredited This was the first and only institution that I visited that was going through that process Lynda Westall had a wonderful day planned for me The Sanger Institute has participated in some of the most important advances in genomic research developing new understandings of genomes and their role in biology They provide animals to collaborators all over the world and appeared to be excited to go through the AAALAC accreditation process My last stop on this incredible journey was attendance at the IAT Congress The Congress has a structure very similar to that of National AALAS in the US There were a number of talks and workshops a vendor area a poster area and many social activities to allow for networking While at Congress I presented a poster on a more efficient mopping system gave a brief talk on that poster and also gave a talk on training for professional development and retention during an AAALAC sponsored session At the end of Congress I attended a formal Gala dinner complete with live music It was a perfect evening to cap off my incredible journey throughout England For those of you who may not
22 October 2018 Bulletin have attended this conference before I would highly recommend it You will acquire a wealth of knowledge and a great network of colleagues that can assist you as you progress through this exciting career path that you have chosen I am eternally grateful to all those people who assisted me throughout this process Elizabeth Plant and Nikki Stevens were instrumental in making this trip happen for me They created itineraries which included how to get around booked hotels and arranged for the tours of all of the facilities Additionally I want to thank all those people who took time out of their very busy days to tour me through their facilities and guide me through the IAT Congress I can never thank you all enough for allowing me to enter your worlds for a brief moment in time If any of you will be attending the National AALAS meeting in 2019 in the US held in Denver Colorado I would be happy to arrange for a tour of my facilities for you This experience has been the highlight of my professional career and I hope to take it forward in any way that I can
24 October 2018 Bulletin The Gallery The Birds and baby peregrine The iconic Bald Eagle And a little more ubiquitous the peregrine falcon From the other side of the world The Kookaburra and two black swans Both native to Australia
Bulletin October 2018 25 The Ah factor Red panda having a snooze What s a cross Who what where Oh very funny that s a red ruffed lemur actually Images by Alan Graham Baby goats A cross between a red panda and a ring tailed lemur
Bulletin October 2018 27 Zebrafish Biosecurity T his past spring the Bateson Centre in Sheffield hosted a day devoted to learning about biosecurity for zebrafish Whilst this day was plagued with train cancellations and unrelenting snowfall the content provided by the seven presenters was highly educational and engaging Biosecurity is the system in place to prevent ill health through the minimisation of pathogen transmission and toxins The first presentation was given by Graham Willoughby of Aquaneering Graham s expertise in aquatic life support systems was apparent as he walked everyone through the different methods The first portion was about water sources and chlorinated water which comes through the main water systems in the UK interestingly Graham pointed out this that this is a legal requirement in the UK Luckily chlorine can be removed from water through freezing aeration boiling or using activated carbon As most zebrafish facilities are sourcing water from the mains this is an important piece of information Most facilities will use the latter option as it is quick acting low cost and the most suitable option if dechlorinating a large volume of water which zebrafish facilities use Graham explained that activated carbon also removes proteins and antibodies from the system which is an advantage but will not remove other harmful components such as ammonia and salt Unfortunately it is also difficult to know when it requires changing which can be detrimental to fish health Graham then moved on to reverse osmosis which is a common system in zebrafish facilities and discussed the advantages of this type of system as well as the disadvantages Given that most people who work with zebrafish are not always aware of what the machines do this was a very educational section of the presentation I found it particularly of interest that RO machines do not remove chlorine and can waste a lot of water in the process of removing other elements Paul Schroeder moved the presentation towards health monitoring zebrafish No zebrafish facility is fully free of pathogens and therefore all facilities should have a monitoring system in place Paul explained the basic tenets of this such as epidemiology concepts and different screening options A sentinel system was one option which is common in animal units however Paul pointed out the disadvantages of this namely that it is not as representative as commonly thought and that a random sample may actually be a more representative sample of the population Paul s presentation was actually the basis of one of the group activities where we had to determine the sample
28 October 2018 Bulletin size required for a reliable screen for one pathogen the resulting numbers were in the hundreds I quickly did the maths in my head and figured out that one of our fish rooms would actually not be able to satisfy the number required This really exemplified the necessity of constant screening of animals and that using only a few from a sentinel tank may give non representative results Joanna Cambray Young from Sheffield discussed the pathogens that can plague a zebrafish facility this included the ever present Pseudoloma neurophilia mycobacteria and gliding bacteria amongst others She gave clinical expressions for each which frequently overlapped This really illustrated the importance of not diagnosing a sick fish as a single clinical expression can be caused by a myriad of pathogens As well as expressions transmission was also covered many of these included poor husbandry such as overcrowding gliding bacteria and ingestion Edwardsiella Joanna discussed different methods of screening for these pathogens as well as potential ways to combat them JP Moche a vet from the Crick in London covered the rest of the day s topics Microbiological status especially specific pathogen free was discussed Most importantly touched on here was that in other species especially mice this status is well defined and certified not so with zebrafish Once again what is true for mice is not true for zebrafish Perhaps this will be addressed in the near future A large topic covered was quarantine Most facilities use this to house imported animals as a biosecurity measure to prevent the introduction of a pathogen into the general population JP stressed the importance of having a true quarantine separate with no cross contamination This is obviously an issue for any progeny that come from quarantine The solution here is to disinfect embryos which is a common enough practice JP questioned whether we should be using chlorine or iodine which is a recent possibility and pointed out that there is a potential impact on microbiota As a conclusion JP stressed the need to have a plan for imported fish to prevent pathogen introduction a list of pathogens that are being regularly screened for and records of health in the facility as well as from those of imports The last topic of the day covered how to reduce pathogen transmission through husbandry this should be a main concern of most SOPs One of the most notable points made here was that many detergents and disinfectants run the risk of harming the animals So whilst it is imperative to clean tanks and other equipment as it will reduce pathogen transmission the use of chemicals can cause too many problems Not only can they immediately impact
Bulletin October 2018 29 the animals they can also impact the life support systems Chemicals can kill the biofilter which is required to maintain safe levels of ammonia and nitrites Overall the day was educational and helped to illustrate important tenets of biosecurity The Bateson Centre and the speakers provided a well presented day and offered group work to help apply the concepts being discussed The material definitely has helped to improve my knowledge of biosecurity for zebrafish Reporter Karen Dunford Alan John Young Owner of Warwick Printing We are also very sad to inform our membership that John Young the proprietor of Warwick Printing Company who have been producing the IAT s main publications and publicity for over three decades died mid August The Young family have owned the company since the mid 80s and the IAT is very appreciative of John s particular support for our organisation and the continued consistent professionalism reliability and bespoke service everyone at Warwick give us We offer our sincere condolences to his wife Gill and sons Allan and Paul Rec o l l ec t i o n f r o m P h il Ru d d o c k M I A T R A nT ec h L i f e M em b er a n d Bu l le t in Ed i t o r 1 9 8 6 2 0 1 2 As the Bulletin Editor for 26 years I had the good fortune for nearly all of that time to have Warwick Printing as the producer of the IAT s publications This company was blessed by professional staff who understood our requirements worked to on many occasions extremely tight deadlines and if that wasn t enough tolerated with good humour amateur editors During my time as Editor I made many trips to their facility and always after sorting out the business in hand was invited to John s office for a cuppa and a chat He was the most charming man kind hearted polite always interested in how better to improve their work for us and on a personal level how I was getting on in my day job and the industry in general He generated a feel good factor one left Warwick Printing always feeling better Although it has been at least six years since we last met I can still picture him as the consummate professional He will be sorely missed
Bulletin October 2018 31 Biosecurity Notes from Red Kite Biosecurity Course by Paul Barwood What is Biosecurity Biosecurity can be described as measures to prevent contain and identify microorganisms These measures can be thought of with the help of an analogy referred to as protecting the castle this infers the multiple layers of defence a castle has i e a moat drawbridge and large walls By having multiple layers of defence it is much less likely that any contamination will occur as the risk must bypass all of the prevention measures to breach biosecurity The routes of transmission for biosecurity risks are air surfaces water and skin They are all of equal importance and facilitate the movement of bacteria viruses and fungi from one point to another For effective biosecurity you must identify the pathways and interrupt them This will stop the transfer of dirt dust microorganisms and organic matter Disruption of transmission pathways can be achieved mechanically and through monitoring The building design equipment performance and staff training all play a part You can manage the risk by appropriate training the use of personal protective equipment PPE good washing practices regular screening quarantine use cleaning disinfection decontamination or sterilisation Appropriate biosecurity measures prevent wasting resources limit the risk of inducing ill health and death safeguard the health of the staff facility and animals and to minimise any affects this would have to the research As the saying goes prevention is better than cure What are the Risks The risk factors associated with biosecurity and management practices that can be implemented to ensure specific levels of biosecurity are maintained fall into four categories prevention containment identification and resolution The risks are many and varied they can be from environmental sources equipment used and any cells tissues or serum utilised The prevention and containment of contamination from microorganisms can be achieved by setting controlling and maintaining standards with regards to the entry and exit of animals and equipment to and from a facility This can
32 October 2018 Bulletin be achieved via the utilisation of appropriate pest control caging and equipment sanitisers mechanical control PPE site control and colony management The containment of biosecurity risks from anything that is transferred in and out of a facility and the movement of and duties carried out by personnel is dependent upon the biological safety level BSL associated with the animals used and the research they are used for BSL s range from 1 to 4 and relate to the biocontainment keeping everything in of infections genetically altered biological material or non native organisms with each BSL requiring appropriate barriers Barrier types fall into three main categories conventional part barrier and full barrier and are used when a facility has undefined flora is specific pathogen free SPF or has gnotobiotic or germ free axenic status respectively The ability to prevent contamination is applied to different biological units which depending on the facility design can refer to the entire facility a room or groups of rooms a rack or racks and single cages Physical aspects such as barrier protection PPE use entry procedures and quarantine areas combined with considered risk analysis and management of entry requirements SOPs training and documentation all contribute to effective biosecurity To prevent and contain the risks they must first be identified These risks arise from the animals the environment and the personnel The health profile of the animals along with transport and quarantine practices will all play a part where possible it is best to re derive the animals and to health check again Careful selection of environmental components such as food water and bedding coupled with regular environmental testing of the air and water is required The training and supervision of personnel is paramount due to their movement through the facility and interaction with many areas of operation Correct use of PPE and quarantine policy where animals equipment and personnel start in the cleanest areas and move to the dirtier areas afterwards minimises risk factors and helps mitigate for unsafe behaviour The use of health screening and having appropriate monitoring processes enables effective risk analysis and management by creating a layered defence through considered organisational decisions However even with thorough planning and implementation biosecurity breaches can occur Although it isn t possible to plan for every eventuality plans to resolve most situations should be in place before they happen These plans will need to cover topics such as quarantine procedures recovery plans disaster preparedness and the use of
Bulletin October 2018 33 remediation services This planning is essential as a biosecurity breach will most likely restrict the movement of animals equipment and staff If there is a biosecurity breach more samples should be sent out for testing to confirm the result tests should also be carried out by independent companies Screening FELASA recommendations are to carry out annual and quarterly screens with at least one of these being via necropsy It is important to test as bad animals equal bad science Infectious agents affect results can cause stress have welfare implications impact staff and limit import and export possibilities The results of the screens are also a test of biosecurity and will show if it is performing adequately Different housing and facility types require different screening methods It is best to use a combination of methods to test Microbiology screens for all viable bacteria and fungi serology gives historical data microscopy screens for unexpected results polymerase chain reaction PCR is good for fastidious organisms such as Helicobacter When testing post mortem the best methods are microbiology serology parasitology and PCR This kind of testing can be labour intensive complicated requires planning and stringent controls and can be insensitive When testing antemortem methods used include PCR screening on faeces dry swabs and plenum filters and serology of tail bleeds or micro samples Polymer Chain Reaction PCR is convenient uses fewer animals and detects agents before an immunological response is shown However PCR does not catch everything as it is specific and sometimes the most appropriate sample cannot be used Ideally use of all methods would be utilised The sample size should be checked against the confidence level this is determined with use of the infection rate of the pathogen or environmental contaminant being tested for Sometimes it is acceptable to let some pathogens in as not all interfere with health this would depend on the research being carried out and the animals being used
34 October 2018 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 Registered Charity Number 113319 Registered Office 5 South Parade Summertown Oxford OX2 7JL AS ET News As to be expected over the summer months the AS ET trustees have done less travelling than usual but it doesn t mean that everyone has been taking it easy Plans are afoot for a special event in 2020 to mark our tenth anniversary yes I know is seems a long time to plan something but believe me we will need every second if our plans are to come to fruition Something a little closer in time are the two AS ET Special lectures the first entitled Two for the Price of one twinning the ultimate regeneration to be presented by Professor Claudio Stern will be held in Central London on Wednesday 18th October at 4 30 There is no charge for the lecture or the wine reception that follows and the lecture is open to all so feel free to bring along any interested friends or family The second annual lecture will be held in Manchester on Wednesday 7th November and will be given by our long time friend and trustee Professor Sir Richard Gardner This lecture is also free together with a wine reception and an announcement with all the details appears in this issue of the Bulletin on page 36 As you all hopefully know by now the main aim of AS ET is to promote the education of those working with animals in the field of science by providing bursaries enabling successful applicants to attend courses and relevant meetings All applicants are required to provide a report on the course or meeting that they attend and the following report is from Georgina Orosz whose bursary allowed her to enter the Level 4 Higher education programme I think you will find it interesting reading and I hope it will encourage readers where appropriate to apply to study Level 4 and if required ask for financial support from AS ET Details on how to apply for a bursary are on the AS ET website www as et org uk
Bulletin October 2018 35 Bursary report from Georgina Orosz After completing my IAT Level 3 Diploma in Laboratory Animal Science and Technology I was lucky enough to take the next step on my IAT career pathway and start the two year IAT Level 4 course in 2016 supported by both the Animals in Science Education Trust AS ET through their bursary award and my employer Oxford University The two year course consisted of four highly relevant work related modules that were delivered through classroom lectures with tutorial support practical activities and via additional on line resources The first module I studied Applied Learning and Development Skills for Science taught me many skills as regards what was needed to complete work at this level helping me to develop different learning strategies and skills in effective writing referencing which were essential to create regular essay based assignments through the course The second module was on the topic of Animal Facility Supervisory Management Skills which was a very complex subject It covered the methods of successful recruitment the costing of a specific project in the facility and also how to manage encourage staff After completing this module I have got a clear detailed vision of how a well managed animal unit should be Biological Science was the topic of the 3rd module this covered essential information regarding anatomy physiology and chemistry through practical laboratory sessions I had to carry out small experiments keeping records of these in the form of laboratory books this was the major and certainly the most hands on part of the course In the final teaching block I had the opportunity to learn about pathogenic microorganisms and their control within the animal facility Diseases were explained through histology pathology and immunology for a full understanding on their negative impact from cell to research outcome Overall studying for the IAT Level 4 was a great experience made even better by how easy applying for a bursary through AS ET was The process was accessible straightforward and needless to say very helpful in aiding me on the road to achieving my career goals The content I have learned from this course I have been able to apply in my day to day work giving me a solid foundation to further my learning I am now looking to continuing my studies at IAT Level 5 and feeling positive about the future
36 October 2018 Bulletin Annual Lecture AS ET Lecture AS ET Annual AnnualAS ET Lecture Manchester London London Two for the Two pricefor of the one price of o Harnessing Stem Cells for the ultima twinning twinning the ultimate Regenerative Medicine UHJHQHUDWLRQ UHJHQHUDWLRQ how far have we got Professor Professor Richard Gardner Professor Claudio Stern Claudio Ster BSc PhD DSc FRSB FRMedSci MA PhD PhD DSc ScD FRSB Hon FRS BSc FRSB FIAT FRMedSci FRS Emeritus Research Professor Royal Society J Z Young Professor Emeritus Student Christ Church Oxford J Z Young Professor ofCollege Anatomy of Anatom University College London University College London _________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ 4 30pm Wednesday 18th October 2018 5 00pm November 2018 4 30pmWednesday Wednesday7th 18th October 2018 Manchester University Central London Central London The be followed by a wine recep The bylecture winewill reception Thelecture lecturewill will be be followed followed by aa wine reception ________________ ________________ Admission Free Admission Free Order Tickets from Order Tickets from http www animalsinscienceeducationtrust org uk a http www animalsinscienceeducationtrust org uk annuallecture Sponsored by Sponsored by
AS ET is a charity set up to advance education and promote excelle Bulletin May 2014 15 the care Bulletin and welfare of animals used in science October 2018 37 To see how you can apply for a bursary visit our website www as et ET isisaacharity up advance education and promote excellence ET charityset set uptoto advance education and promote excellence The companies listed below sponsor AS ET If you would like to join care and welfare of animals used in science e find careout andhow welfare of animals used in science to support us by looking at our website ee how you can for visit website www as et org see how canapply apply for abursary bursary visitour our website www as et org AS ET charity set up up toaadvance advance education excellence in AS ET isis you aa charity set to education and promote AS ET is charity set up to advance education and promote excellence in the care and of animals usededucation ineducation science AS ET ischarity awelfare charity set up to advance advance education and promote excellence in the care and animals used in science AS ET aawelfare charity set up and promote excellence AS ET is ais setof up to to advance and promote excellence in in the care and welfare of animals used in science listed below AS ET If would like totojoin them the care and welfare ofsponsor animals used in science science the care and welfare animals used the care welfare of of animals used in in science ecompanies companies listed sponsor AS ET Ifyou you would join AS ET is aand charity to below advance education and promote excellence inlike the care andin the AS ET is a charity set up to advance education and promote excellence To see how you canused apply for bursary visit how to support usinof by looking atvisit our website To see how you can apply for aa bursary our website www as et org uk welfare of animals science dout out how to support by looking our the care and welfare animals usedat in science To see how you can us apply for a bursary visit website our website www as et org uk To see how you can apply for bursary visit our website www as et org uk how apply aa bursary visit website www as et org uk To To seesee how youyou cancan apply forfor a bursary visit ourour website www as et org uk The companies listed below sponsor AS ET Ifour you would like them Sponsors of AS ET are listed below and to find out more please www as et org uk visit to thejoin website The companies listed below sponsor AS ET If you would like to join them To see how you can apply for asponsor bursary visit website The companies listed below AS ET If you would like to join them The companies listed below sponsor AS ET If you would like to join them The companies listed below sponsor AS ET If you would like to join them www as et org uk The companies listed below sponsor AS ET If you would like to join them find out out how how to to support support us us by by looking looking at at our our website website find find out how to support us by looking at our website find out how to support us by looking at our website find how support looking website find outout how to to support us us by by looking at at ourour The companies listed below sponsor AS ET Ifwebsite you would like to join them find out how to support us by looking at our website
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40 October 2018 Bulletin
Bulletin October 2018 The BING Caption Competition Write a 10 word or less caption for this photo and win a 50 voucher The winner will be published in a future edition of the Bulletin Send your entries to Linda Westall lynda westall aol co uk and Kally Booth k booth dundee ac uk Closing date 31 October 2018 41
42 October 2018 Bulletin As part of IAT Technologist Month next March there will be lots of activity going on in your local IAT branches and within some of your establishments as well as a big quiz to get involved with This event invites you to celebrate being an Animal Technician in the UK Look out for further updates
Bulletin October 2018 43 IAT North West Branch Guide Dogs tour Inspired by the IAT sponsorship of a Guide dog named Tai our June meeting was at the Manchester Guide Dog training facility John a seasoned puppy walker and his retired German Shepherd Rinty met us and began by explaining the early years of a Guide dogs life All the stud dogs are kept at the breeding centre in Leamington Spa Adult bitches are mated here then sent to various volunteers homes for whelping At 6 weeks old the pups go back to the centre for vaccination health check and assessment for suitability to the career ahead They then go to the homes of puppy walkers volunteers who care for them and begin basic training for the next 12 months They then go to the 4 training centres around the country for the intensive training needed to become a Guide Dog We were then given a demonstration of this process with 4 dogs at various stages of training All training is done by positive reward ie lots of grub every time they do what is asked Some of the group then took the opportunity to be blindfolded and walked around the obstacle course This was PRUH GLI FXOW WKDQ RQH ZRXOG LPDJLQH YHU GLVRULHQWLQJ LQGHHG DWFKLQJ WKH WUDLQHUV LQ action it shone out how passionate they are about what they do and have a really close bond with the dogs in their care After a tour of the rest of the facility we watched some videos of blind people being introduced to or out and about with their dogs Guide Dogs are clearly a lifeline to these people whose lives would be much harder without their companion Dogs that do not make the grade are offered to the security forces as sniffer dogs or are offered to the general public along with retired Guide Dogs Retirement comes at around 10 or earlier in intensive working environments such as London Each dog will cost 56k during its lifetime including food training vets bills etc The blind person is charged 50 pence for the dog Amazingly the Guide Dogs Society receives no public or Lottery funding So off to the boozer for some butties and a beer where everybody said what a brilliant experience it had been and were in awe not only of the dogs but the skill and dedication of the Guide Dogs team many of whom are volunteers Many thanks to the Volunteers for a great morning Mike Simonsen Jackson
Trainee Animal Technologist Biological Services G3 QBH 2039 18 HT 005290 The salary will be paid at Grade 3 20 836 to 24 029 per annum plus 3 223 per annum London Allowance This post will be offered on an indefinite contract This is a full time post 100 full time equivalent Biological Services provide facilities services and advice for all research scientists within King s College London who need to carry out research using animals Such work is ethically reviewed carefully regulated and kept to a minimum within the overall objectives of advancing knowledge in biomedical research Alternatives to research involving animals are always used where possible The post holder has responsibility for the maintenance care and welfare of animals working as part of a dedicated team alongside skilled professionals committed to finding new cures for major diseases The post holder will need a flexible approach to work and be able to work independently under supervision as required following appropriate training The individual must be willing to make use of IT systems to ensure accurate record keeping The selection process will include competency based questions and a panel interview For further information please contact Stephen Woodley Stephen woodley kcl ac uk Closing date 7 November 2018 To apply please register with the King s College London application portal and complete your application online
Trainee Animal Technologist Biological Services G3 QBG 2038 18 HT 005289 The salary will be paid at Grade 3 24 059 to 27 252 per annum inclusive of 3 223 per annum London Allowance This post will be offered on an indefinite contract This is a full time post 100 full time equivalent Biological Services provide facilities services and advice for all research scientists within King s College London who need to carry out research using animals Such work is ethically reviewed carefully regulated and kept to a minimum within the overall objectives of advancing knowledge in biomedical research Alternatives to research involving animals are always used where possible The post holder has responsibility for the maintenance care and welfare of animals working as part of a dedicated team alongside skilled professionals committed to finding new cures for major diseases The post holder will need a flexible approach to work and be able to work independently under supervision as required following appropriate training The individual must be willing to make use of IT systems to ensure accurate record keeping The selection process will include competency based questions and a panel interview For further information please contact Stephen Woodley Stephen woodley kcl ac uk Closing date 7 November 2018 To apply please visit and register with the King s College London application portal and complete your application online
Bulletin October 2018 47 DIARY Dates 28 October 1st November AALAS Meeting Baltimore Details https www aalas org nationalmeeting 30 October RSPCA UFAW Rodent and Rabbit Welfare Meeting Central London Details research animals rspca org uk 31 October Caption competition closes Details on page 41 2 November The Andrew Blake Tribute Award closing date Details on page 6 7 November ICR Chester Beatty Laboratories Disposable v Washable Management Solutions Details https go allentowninc com icr 7 November AS ET Annual Lecture Manchester Details on page 36 8 November Foundation Course in Tecniplast IVCs Northamptonshire Details noleen tecniplastuk com 9 November Support Staff Full Day Workshop London Details info learningcurvedevelopment co uk 12 13 November NACWO Workshop London Details info learningcurvedevelopment co uk Front cover Puffin by Ailsa Morrison 15 November 2018 Primate Welfare Meeting NC3Rs Registration closes 26 October Central London Details nc3rs org uk 15 16 November Technical and Operational Advances in Gnotobiology Switzerland Details https go allentowninc com genera 16 November Congress 2019 closing date for Paper and Workshop submissions Details on pages 10 and 22 17 November AWERB Roadshow Birmingham Newcastle Details asc secretariat homeoffice gsi gov uk 26 November 2018 Mouse Handling Workshop Support for trainers NTCOs and other named persons Registration closes 12 November Details nc3rs org uk 27 29 November LASA Conference Birmingham Details http www lasa co uk meetings info lasa co uk 4 December Theatre Technician Workshop London Details info learningcurvedevelopment co uk