Preparing for the Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT)...

Laboratory Animal Care and Use Program and Facilities

Preparing for the Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT) Certification Exam

Dondrae Coble, DVM, DACLAM June 12, 2013


Outline

• Chapter 1: The Field of Laboratory Animal Science

• Chapter 2: The Animal Research Environment • Chapter 3: Facility Security & Emergencies

• Chapter 1: The Field of Laboratory Animal Science

• Chapter 2: The Animal Research Environment • Chapter 3: Facility Security & Emergencies


Chapter 1

The Field of Laboratory Animal Science


The American Association for Laboratory Animal Science

• Animal Care Panel – Formed in 1950 – Led by Dr. Nathan Brewer – Basic Philosophy

• Those using animals in research have moral obligation to provide for their needs and ensure their welfare

• American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) – Formed in 1967 (previously known as the Animal Care

Panel) – Dedicated to humane care and treatment of lab animals – 2 scientific journals

• Comparative Medicine & Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (JAALAS)


AALAS Districts

Question Animal Model 1. Zebrafish

2. Monkeys

3. Pigs

Research Uses

a) Brain and nervous system development

b) Structure, function,

and diseases of human hearts

c) Brain changes as

humans age

Opposition to Animal Research

• People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)

• Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty USA (SHAC USA)

Alternatives to Animal Use in Research

• Computer models • Cell culture techniques • Statistical methods

Research Team

• Principal Investigator • Co-investigators and Research

Technicians • Laboratory Animal Veterinarian • Laboratory Animal Technicians • Commercial Animal Suppliers and

Equipment Manufacturers

Principal Investigator

• Plans and coordinates all phases of research work

• Responsible for reporting the research findings to the scientific community

Co-investigators and Research Technicians

• Perform specific research tasks – Observing animals – Laboratory tests

• Collect, organize, and analyze the data

Laboratory Animal Veterinarian

• Coordinates animal care activities • Advise investigators on proper animal

model selection • Maintenance of animal colony health • Assurance of regulatory compliance

Laboratory Animal Technicians

• Essential members of the research team

• Control factors that may affect experimental data – Feed, bedding, schedule, light, noise

• Notify veterinary staff • Must follow SOPs

Commercial Animal Suppliers and Equipment Manufacturers

• Provides high quality products and technical support – Products must meet or exceed minimum

requirements

Interpersonal Relationships

• Federal law mandates a workplace that treats employees equally – Discrimination, harassment, unwanted

sexual overtures

Career Opportunities

• AALAS Certification – AALAS Certification and Registry Board

(CRB) • Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT) • Laboratory Animal Technician (LAT) • Laboratory Animal Technologist (LATG)

• ALAT Certification Reference List – ALAT Training Manual – 8th Edition of the Guide for the Care and

Use of Laboratory Animals

The Registry

• Technician Certification Registry – Voluntary program documenting

ongoing professional development as an AALAS-certified technician

• Participation in the Registry entitles you to an R in front of ALAT credential. This shows you are continuing in your professional development.

Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician

• Entry-level certification • Daily tasks of animal husbandry • Understand the moral and ethical

aspects of animal care and use • Knowledge of regulations pertaining

to the use of animals in research

ALAT “Should” List

• Routine husbandry tasks • Sanitization and sterilization • Observe and report environmental

conditions • Handle, restrain, and sex animals • Use methods of animal identification • Assist with record keeping • Recognize signs of illness • Provide treatments and routine procedures

ALAT Duties

Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician

• Musts – Must maintain and provide accurate,

legible records – Must ask questions if there is doubt or

confusion about a procedure • ALWAYS ask if in doubt and notify a

supervisor when a mistake is made or discovered

Laboratory Animal Technician

• Must maintain current knowledge of: – Husbandry methods – Research methodology – Humane treatment of animals

Laboratory Animal Technologists

• Senior-level team members • Training, facility management,

supervisory duties • Must maintain current knowledge of:

– Husbandry training techniques – Research methodology – Humane treatment of animals


Chapter 2 The Animal Research Environment


Animal Research Regulations

• Exists on a federal, state, and local level • Based on 5 Mandates:

1. Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals 2. Animal Welfare Act and the Animal Welfare

Regulations 3. Public Health Service Policy 4. US Government Principles for the Utilization and Care

of Vertebrate Animals Used in Testing, Research, and Training

5. American Veterinary Medical Association Guidelines on Euthanasia

• Study the chart on page 10


Question

The earliest law to protect animals from cruelty in America was passed in what year? a) 1921 b) 1641 c) 1879 d) 1961 b) 1641


The Development of Regulations and Guidelines

• The first law passed to protect animals from cruelty: – 1641 Massachusetts colony

• The first federal anti-cruelty law in 1873 protected: – The meat packing industry to limit the amount of

time animals were confined during shipment. – Food, water, and rest must be provided during

shipment.


The Guide

• Assists institutions in caring for and using animals in research

• Primary source for standards and guidelines • Provides standards for:

– Personnel qualifications and training – Occupational health and safety – Veterinary Care – Animal housing, care, management – Animal procurement and transportation – Surgical and postsurgical care – Alleviation of pain and distress – Euthanasia techniques – Physical plant design and construction


The Ag Guide

• Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Agricultural Research and Teaching

• Applies to research and teaching animals that have agricultural rather than biomedical goals


Facility Accreditation

• AAALAC – Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of

Laboratory Animal Care International • Private, nonprofit organization • Voluntary participation

• AAALAC-accredited institutions must demonstrate that are meeting the Guide standards and all other federal and local regulations


Animal Welfare Act

• Federal law first established in 1966 • Minimum standards of care

– Covered animals that are bred for commercial sale, used in research, transported commercially, or exhibited to the public.


Animal Welfare Act

Covered • Warm-blooded

vertebrates (dead or alive)

• Hamsters • Guinea pigs • Rabbits • Cats • Dogs • Nonhuman

primates

Not Covered • Birds • Rats and mice bred

exclusively for research • Farm animals used of

intended for use as food or fiber or for agricultural research


Animal Welfare Regulations

• Published annually – Code of Federal Regulations

• Define the roles of individuals involved in the animal facility – Attending veterinarian – Institutional official – IACUC

• More specific standards than the AWA • Administered by:

– APHIS and USDA


Research Facility Requirements (AWA and AWR)

• Register with USDA • Appoint an IACUC • Provide training to animal users and technicians • Maintain records • Provide adequate veterinary care • Provide dogs with exercise • Provide psychological enrichment to nonhuman

primates • Provide relief for pain and distress • Consider alternatives


IACUC

• Required by the 1985 AWA amendments • Responsible for ensuring animal care is in

compliance with all laws, regulations, guidelines, and policies

• IACUC composition (according to AWR) – 3 members= 1 chairman plus 2 other members

• 1 veterinarian with lab animal experience • 1 non-affiliated public member who represents the

community • 1 practicing scientist experienced in research involving

animals – No more than three of the members may be from the

same administrative subunit


IACUC

• Reports to: – Institutional Official (IO), sometimes known as the

Chief Executive Officer (CEO). – The IO must have authority to provide resources to

ensure compliance

• IACUC Responsibilities – Oversee and evaluate animal care and use program – Review methods of animal care and verify compliance – Inspect facilities on semi-annual basis and report

findings to IO


APHIS • USDA Animal Plant and Health Inspection

Service • Responsibilities:

– Administering and enforcing the AWR – Conduct unannounced site visits at least annually – Evaluates the animal species covered under AWA and

relevant animal records – Reviews IACUC’s semi-annual facility inspection reports

and records of program reviews – Issues reports that are available to public due to the

federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) – Any violations must be corrected in a timely manner or

the USDA has the authority to stop research at the facility


PHS

• Public Health Service • Oversees many US federal agencies

– National Institutes of Health (NIH) – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – Indian Health Service (IHS) – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services

Administration (SAMHSA)

• PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals – Federal mandate that applies to federally funded research

projects


PHS Policy

• PHS Policy covers: – All live vertebrates used of intended for use in research,

research training, experimentation, biological testing, or for related purposes.

– Differences from AWA? • Includes birds, rats, and mice bred for research as well as cold-

blooded vertebrates

• Requires an IACUC but with administrative differences vs. AWA.

• PHS requires an occupational health and safety program for all personnel working with animals.

• Requires all federal grant recipients to comply with the US Government Principles, AWA, the Guide, and AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia


OLAW • Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare at NIH

– Responsible for the general administration and coordination of PHS Policy

• Animal Welfare Assurance of Compliance Statement – Submitted by the IO to OLAW. – Describes the institution’s program for the care and use

of animals

• IACUC is responsible for preparing the annual report for OLAW to show compliance with PHS Policy?


Animal Use Protocol

• Submitted by the PI to describe and justify the proposed use of animals

• Must be approved by IACUC before research is conducted • Animals should be identified with their protocol number on

cage cards and medical records • Technicians should be aware of the specific protocol

animals are being used under especially if they require special cage changes, diets, or pre-surgical fasting


US Governmental Principles

• US Government Principles for the Utilization and Care of Vertebrate Animals Used in Testing, Research, and Training

• Incorporated into PHS Policy in 1986 • Apply to all vertebrate species and all studies

receiving support from any federal agency • The IO is responsible for ensuring to compliance

with US Governmental Principles • Read the 9 US Governmental Principles on

page 13


Good Laboratory Practices

• Validate and document processes by which safety tests are conducted

• Regulations that apply to studies funded or reviewed by the FDA and EPA

• Examples of GLP studies – Drug testing – Food coloring additives – Medical devices – Biologics

• GLP regulations include all basic guidelines as well as additional requirements – Quality Assurance unit – SOPs


Standard Operating Procedures

• Step-by-step written instructions approved by management to perform routine activities

• 2 types of SOPs – Institutional SOPs – specific to institution

• Washing cages • Feed storage

– Procedural SOPs – specific to each study • Blood collection

• SOPs provide consistency in how procedures are

conducted


AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia

• Euthanasia – Must make death as painless and distress-free as

possible

• AVMA Guidelines list acceptable, conditionally acceptable, and unacceptable methods for different species.

• The Guide and PHS Policy require that these guidelines be followed


Bioethics

• Social and moral issues concerning the use of live animals for research – Animal use should be scientifically justified – Physical and psychological well being should be

provided – Minimize pain and distress – Humanely euthanize if severe pain cannot be controlled


Question

• The 3R’s Principle was published in 1959. What are the 3R’s?

• R = ? • R = ? • R = ?


The 3R’s Principle

• Replacement, Reduction, Refinement


Chapter 3: Facility Security and Emergencies


The Disaster Plan

• Steps for disaster preparedness and response to: – Flooding, tornados, earthquakes, hurricanes, fires,

power outages

• Personnel – Familiar with the plan – Accessible to everyone

• Emergency contact information “contact list” • Evacuation plans • Disaster drills • You are responsible for your safety!


The Security Plan

• Protection against theft and vandalism – Bioterrorism – Localized attacks


Security Breach Prevention

• Never prop open doors – Intruder or wild animal access

• Background checks • Visible identification tags • Electronic keys and computerized systems

– Do not allow individuals to borrow personalized keys

• Control the use of audio and video recording devices


Emergency Response

• Report any threats to people or animals – Loitering strangers – Abnormal behavior within the facility

• 1st priority is protection of human life – Knock on doors & inform people to exit the facility (if possible)

• Contact the emergency response team: – Where did the incident occur? – Which areas are affected? – Is there a power loss? – Is everybody accounted for? – Is there damage to the facility? – Is access to the facility obstructed? – Are any animals injured or missing from their cages? – Have any hazardous substances been released into the facility? – Do the animals need to be moved?


The End

Preparing for the Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT)...

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