PRIM&R is pleased to introduce the members of the inaugural Blog Squad at this year’s 2011 Institutional Animal Care and use Committee (IACUC) Conference. The Blog Squad is composed of two PRIM&R members who are devoted to blogging live from the conference.

Interested in becoming a member of the PRIM&R Blog Squad? There is still time to submit your application to become a member of the Blog Squad at the 20011 Social, Behavioral, and Educational Research Conference in Boston, MA!

We are proud to introduce you to the second of our two Blog Squad members, Farah Moulvi.

Greetings PRIM&R community, and hello from sunny Florida! My name is Farah Moulvi, and I am excited and honored to be joining the PRIM&R Blog Squad for the 2011 Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) Conference in Chicago, IL.

Nearly 10 years ago, I transitioned into academic research through current position as the IACUC program manager and biosafety officer at the University of South Florida (USF), Tampa, with the division of research integrity and compliance.

For as long as I can recall, science and medicine have always fascinated me. It was no surprise to my family, the majority of whom work in banking and finance, when I decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and a master’s degree in toxicology from the USF College of Public Health.

Before working in academia, I served as a toxicological technologist and conducted biocompatibility studies and quality and safety testing of medical products and devices. My duties included in vivo and in vitro assays. Next, I ventured into the position of chemical analyst for two pharmaceutical companies where I performed quality control testing of finished products and raw materials. Following my work as chemical analyst, I found an opportunity in which I could facilitate the translation of scientific discoveries into medical applications—the wonderful world of academic biomedical research! I found professional fulfillment in assuring compliance and facilitating research at a large and continually growing research institution.

The theme of the upcoming 2011 IACUC Conference, Assuring Compliance While Facilitating Research: Achieving the Delicate Balance, captured my attention, as balancing regulatory requirements with research endeavors is the overarching philosophy under which I operate. Participating in the PRIM&R conference will put me in touch with like-minded peers and provide an opportunity to learn from experts, share ideas with colleagues, and contribute to my professional growth. I look forward to meeting you at my first IACUC Conference and drawing upon your knowledge, experiences and insights. I am particularly looking forward to the Panel II and IV discussions: Oversight Updates: AAALAC International, OLAW, and USDA and Facilitating Research and Institutional Accountability, respectively.

As a new PRIM&R member, I am very excited to add my voice as a member of the PRIM&R Blog Squad. I view the PRIM&R blog as a starting place for dialogue among peers that mirror conversations occurring at the national and international level. I hope to make my blog posts solution-oriented. However, this requires a key component in the form of your ideas, your perspectives, your know-how, and your interpretations. Your involvement will allow for the development of solutions based on collective wisdom. I believe in community service and want to do my part in contributing to conversations that promote the safe and ethical use of animals in the conduct of research. I hope that you will do the same.

So, Farah O Farah, who art thou? I am a social butterfly who loves to meet people and interact with others. I have a high level of professionalism, operate with integrity, have a team mentality, and enjoy being creative. I have fun taking digital pictures, love reading about current affairs in the news, and enjoy playing computer games on mobile devices in my spare time.

With great enthusiasm I embark on this journey of learning and sharing as a member of the PRIM&R Blog Squad at the 2011 IACUC Conference. I hope you will look to PRIM&R’s blog as we discuss the everyday challenges and seek solutions in the care and ethical treatment of animals in research. Stay tuned!