Advances and Challenges in Laboratory Animal Science Featuring Keynotes Marcel Perret-Gentil and Melanie Graham

Laboratory Animal Science 2017 is coming to you live next week with an impressive set of animal science professionals presenting on informative topics such as:

• Breeding and management of transgenic large or unconventional animal species
• Advances in daily evaluation and assessment of laboratory animals including automation and video monitoring
• Advances and challenges in surgery, anesthesia and euthanasia
• Advances in environmental enrichment of new animal models
• Education and training with concentration on continuous professional development

Attendees will get the opportunity to learn from Keynote speakers Marcel Perret-Gentil, DVM, MS, University Veterinarian and Director of the Laboratory Animal Resources Center (LARC), University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), USA and Melanie Graham, MPH, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, and Program Director, Preclinical Research Center, University of Minnesota. On Wednesday, February 8^th at 7:30am PST, Dr. Perret-Gentil will give a presentation titled “Rodent Surgery... Aseptic Technique Made Easy... and Other Tips.” This presentation will rely heavily on images and videos as Marcel walks the audience through very simple and fun steps in the application of aseptic technique. Many of us who believe in the importance of aseptic rodent surgery have lived through the frustration of trying to implement rodent aseptic surgery in our programs because it seems that application of aseptic technique is so difficult to illustrate and implement.  For years, I have in vain searched the internet and other sources for easy, well-illustrated materials to teach our investigators proper technique.  The search is over!  My frustration has led us to create easy to follow illustrations to help investigators, veterinarians, trainers and IACUCs everywhere to develop sound rodent aseptic surgical skills. On Thursday, February 9^th at 7:30am PST, Dr. Graham will present “Designing enrichment and husbandry to enhance translation.” A successful animal management program results in a safer and less stressful environment for both the animals and animal care staff and significantly enhances animal wellbeing. These same factors can provide important insight into the translation of therapeutic strategies to the clinic. Animals maintained in captivity play a valuable role in education and research. Alongside this is our ethical responsibility to provide the animals with an environment that promotes their physical and behavioral health and wellbeing. Provision of safe, hygienic, comfortable, and interesting accommodations support a wide range of species typical behavior and allow animals to exercise a degree of choice and control in their environment. In addition, animal enrichment is used to enhance husbandry by encouraging and stimulating natural behavioral inclinations in animals through sight, smell, taste, touch, and interaction as well as add critical complexity to their environment. The LAS virtual conference will bring together scientists, students, veterinary technicians, veterinarians, technical support staff, IACUC administrators and committee members, as well as training and compliance personnel from around the world to learn from these world-renowned experts and more recent advances and challenges within laboratory animal science. See the full list of speakers here. As with all LabRoots events, this groundbreaking conference is free to all participants. Those who attend will be able to search and attend sessions of their choice, ask questions of the speakers via live video, chat live with peers, receive Continuing Education Credits, and browse a virtual exhibit floor for solution providers. Use #LRlas to follow the conversation