It really is amazing how quickly time flies. When I think of attending PRIM&R’s 2016 IACUC Conference, it seems like just yesterday. Upon returning to my daily routine, I opened my toolbox of knowledge and have yet to close it. Many of the tools I had gathered are being implemented daily. Here are some examples. (more…) Read more
The final day of PRIM&R’s 2016 IACUC Conference (IACUC16) was another great chance to learn. The breakout session Beyond the IACUC: Understanding the Bigger Compliance Picture, presented by Barbara Garibaldi, Christina Nascimento, and Gina Prochilo-Cawston, included case studies of non-compliance. The scenarios illustrated how even incidents of non-compliance that appear minor on the surface could have underlying roots that require further investigation and reporting by the institution that goes far beyond the IACUC. While IACUCs may serve as first-responders to a non-compliance event, there are potentially greater implications that must involve others, such as hazard/occupational health and safety personnel, or regulatory, accreditation, and funding agencies. [...] Read more
The first day of PRIM&R’s 2016 IACUC Conference was packed full of informational and networking opportunities. The morning began with the breakfast for first-time attendees. My table group was composed of a non-affiliated IACUC member from Alaska, an IACUC administrator/facility manager from a small institution focused mainly on wildlife in the southwest, a research assistant from southern California, and a vet tech turned IACUC administrator from Ohio. Each person had a unique perspective to share. I could not imagine another setting where I could have such fascinating interactions.
After warm welcomes to the conference from the conference co-chairs, PRIM&R’s Lifetime Achievement Award presentation [...] Read more
During the morning of the Northwest Association for Biomedical Research (NWABR) Regional Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) Conference, I attended an intriguing session on the topic of compassion fatigue. Having worked in private veterinary practice and being a family caregiver for a number of years, I felt quite familiar with this topic. After joining the field of animal research, I became reacquainted with it from a new perspective. As a vet tech/training coordinator, and later as a facility supervisor, it was often a subject of discussion with research students and the animal care teams. Read more
The pre-conference programs were a great start to the 2016 IACUC Conference. Essentials of IACUC Administration—Intensive was indeed an intensive session. In the next two months, I will be assuming the administration duties of my home institution’s IACUC protocol review, and there were a number of modules from this program relevant to my transition.
What are some of the tools I was able to pick up?
