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Lean Six Sigma: Reducing Mouse Cage Sanitation Time by Dr David W. Brammer and Dr Jamison V. Kovach
The cage sanitation process for animals used in biomedical research can be labor-intensive.Procedures are described in this paper that resulted in reduction of the average mouse cage sanitation process cycle time by 35 min, and the time saved was reinvested within the ACO to provide technicians additional time to complete other valuable tasks and thus…
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Reactivating Research During a Pandemic: the MSU Experience by Mr. Brian Jespersen
This presentation will review how MSU strategized the immense response needed to address to COVID-19 crisis, the plans developed to support researchers, the challenges and opportunities that were met along the way, the launch of our COVID-19 Early Detection Program and our go-forward plans. By following best practice, leveraging technology and personnel, guidelines and policies…
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Homes for Animal Heroes: The truth has never felt so good! by Dr. Cindy Buckmaster
The Beagle Freedom Project (BFP) has been acquiring research dogs and using them as props to promote and fund a dangerous and misleading anti-research campaign, globally. Several research institutions in the U.S. have fallen prey to BFP’s dishonest tactics and have shut down their adoption programs to avoid further victimization by this animal rights group;…
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The Tree Shrew Life Picked Me! by Ms. Susan Freling
This seminar will take you on a journey through our world of working with the Northern Tree Shrew (Tupaia Belangeri). It’s not only interesting and informative, it’s exciting, fun and rarely a dull moment. Whether you’re a part of the husbandry or veterinary team, a researcher, or an IACUC member or administrator – you will…
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Going Beyond Compassion Fatigue by Ms. Julie Squires
Compassion fatigue is a normal consequence of working with and helping animals. We will inevitably witness them in pain and distress and it will sometimes affect us profoundly, that is compassion fatigue. But that’s just Chapter 1 of the book. The rest of the book is how we help ourselves and others to cope and…
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A Stitch in Time Saves Nine by Dr. David Brammer
The use of ventilated cages for housing rats and mice is a well-recognized method to prevent infectious diseases from spreading throughout the animal facility. There are multiple designs for the placement of cages on ventilated racks, but the unique design of both the Optimice caging and Optirat caging allows the efficient movement of cages through…
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Updates on Rodent Thermoregulation: Is it Getting Hot in Here? by Dr. F. Claire Hankenson
Laboratory mice and rats have been shown to prefer temperatures that are several degrees warmer than the environments in which they are typically housed. Animals housed under warmed environmental conditions have been shown to have decreased metabolic rates, lower heart rates and blood pressure, and improved immune function. Various disciplines of medical investigations, including cancer…
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Bugs in the Mouse House-Expanding the Use of Arthropods in Biomedical Research by Dr. Bradley Ahrens
As the scientific community strives to reduce, refine, and replace animals used in research, there is an increasing demand to develop viable alternative models to meet the growing needs of modern science. To this end, invertebrate models are becoming increasingly prevalent, and present a useful alternative to mammals for studying human disease. To many, they…
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Challenges and Solutions for Laboratory Rodent Housing: presented by Dr. Joanna Makowska
What are rats and mice really like? What does it mean to provide laboratory rodents with a good life? The aim of this talk is to challenge existing preconceptions about what constitutes a “normal” laboratory rat or mouse. This lecture will showcase videos and data on laboratory rodents’ motivation to perform natural behaviors, focusing on…