Animal Research Facilities 2024 Sessions

Large-scale mouse facilities built in phases over time can be a double-edged sword: Each subsequent phase allows for iterative improvements incorporating technology advancements, evolving best practices, and lessons learned, but at the risk of study disruptions, infrastructure complexity, and consistency of maintenance and operational models. Session leaders illustrate how phased construction has played out for The Jackson Laboratory’s four-phased barrier facility in Ellsworth, Maine. They set out top planning and design considerations for process areas and MEP system expansion, strategies for maintaining consistency of products and systems, and solutions for mitigating the effects of noise. They relate feedback from facility operators which contributed to design refinements in each phase.

Too often ROI calculations for cage wash automation begin and end with throughput and labor efficiency – but there are order-of-magnitude cascading effects that research organizations must consider in a more comprehensive value proposition or risk falling behind. Session leaders provide a fresh perspective on modernized cage wash workflows and the larger organizational impacts of competitiveness, cost reduction, sustainability, workforce retention, and more nimble and adaptive workflows allowing the organization to respond to changing program priorities. They provide a template for building the business case more holistically for cage wash automation with an all-in cost/benefit analysis.

One contributing factor to the study reproducibility crisis may be variability of environmental factors in animal facilities. This session examines technology that enables the measurement and documenting of environmental variables and events that humans might otherwise miss – ultrasonic noise, vibration, temperature, humidity, light, as well as impacts from staff activity and construction and renovation projects. Jeremy Turner illustrates the use of Sensory Sentinel cages for both ongoing daily and project-specific scopes to detect and mitigate study disruptions and improve animal welfare. He provides case studies, implementation strategies and technical requirements, and examines the results being achieved.

Demand for animal resources and shared core facilities is up, but capital resources are strained; Master planning for research needs and facility assets has never been more critical. Session leaders use a case study from Penn State University to illustrate facility use and condition data gathering, user group input, and research growth projections to establish a practical short- and long-term phased program growth roadmap. They detail a series of renovation initiatives, leveraging new equipment capabilities, updated space use models, and temporary housing options. They illustrate how to prioritize projects, and implementation methods that minimize program impacts.

Increasing demands for capacity, energy use reduction, effective research methods, and recruitment continues to raise the bar for animal research facility operating efficiency. Digitalization is the way forward to reach the performance levels required and, in this session, Paul Fuson demonstrates how to push energy efficiency, asset, and space utilization even further, and meet physical and cyber security demands through sophisticated research environment management tools. He profiles applications of digital technologies to unlock new data insights from the cage to the penthouse and identify operating improvement opportunities, and to navigate the relationship between the built environment and facility users.

Sustainability and CO2e emissions reduction have risen on the priority list for all  research organizations. In this session  we look at facility operations and caging options and discuss  the tradeoffs made in achieving those goals. Session leaders will track the lifecycle of a cage and highlight the equipment decision points, ramifications, and results that contribute to or detract from CO2e emission reduction. They examine the impacts from caging design and material use, transportation, in-facility use, and end-of-life processes, and the relative impacts of products and processes on a facility’s carbon footprint.

Have tradition, design replication, rules of thumb, and metrics from a different technology era been unnecessarily limiting the efficiency of animal facilities and driving up costs? Jeff Zynda and John Hasenau look at recent data from legacy designs and how new models can deliver improvements in study reproducibility, space efficiency, and cost by shedding outdated concepts. They assess opportunities stemming from advances in micro vs. macro environments, dusk to dawn lighting, temperature, and color, acoustics and RF/EMI interference, environment monitoring, animal observations, and interactions. They provide answers for commonly-raised concerns when adopting next-gen solutions in risk-averse organizations.

Join this enlightening panel for key findings and lessons learned from Northwestern University's switch to cage wash automation. Speakers chart the critical labor and throughput requirements needed to double rodent cage capacity, and the data used to overcome management and cost hurdles. They profile feasibility study and upgrade processes, timelines, and swing space solutions, and common problems to watch for. They illustrate the efficiency and effectiveness outcomes of cage wash transformation in terms of space use, fostering collaborative work environments, prioritizing staff health and safety, and supporting research program expansion initiatives.

Achieving better project outcomes with the exceptionally diverse set of stakeholders and personalities involved in animal research facility initiatives – from cage wash operators to designers and PIs – requires next-level communication strategies and tools that you’ll see demonstrated in this session. Robert Tierney illustrates the art of listener-centric communications with a deep dive into personality profiles and conversation dynamics, and provides examples of applications in vivarium construction and renovation projects. He examines how to start shifting project stakeholder mindsets, and the use of “learn and confirm” and “confirm and clarify promises” tools to transform project interactions.

Robotics at various scales is coming to your animal research facility, and this interactive discussion group examines what that will mean for costs, staffing strategies, space use, and uptime. Session leaders project a future of small industrial robots, what is already here and what is coming soon at affordable prices with the flexibility required for use in older animal facilities. They draw out experiences from session participants on implementation roadblocks and solutions, operating surprises, and lessons learned that will equip and inform strategies on robotics adoption, expansion, and maintenance.

Many Veterinary Diagnostics Laboratories face operational challenges stemming from aging facilities, which can create biosafety risks and hamper testing efficacy and turnaround time. This session delivers planning and design lessons learned from the latest generation of facilities with a view to optimizing operations. Using multiple recent case studies, Jim Chen illustrates criteria and best practices for sample receiving/processing and testing workflows, circulation strategies that improve biosecurity/biosafety, optimized animal handling and necropsy, and BSL3 containment lab programming. Attend this session to make more informed facility decisions when developing specific program requirements.

Here you’ll see how decades of insight from veterinarians, animal care staff, and behaviorists were gleaned and translated into housing, breeding, and growth solutions that are safe, enduring, fun, and support the wellbeing and natural behaviors of NHPs. Presenters examine design and operating challenges that were overcome while maintaining 24/7 choice for animals including indoors/outdoors accessibility, as well as socialization and family group options. They highlight what’s been provided to enable animal care staff observation of breeding and research, and efficient workspace for wellness checks and minor health procedures.

Workplace wellbeing is being prioritized by leading organizations to increase employee satisfaction, engagement, productivity, and retention, but the animal research context is one of the most challenging environments to launch new initiatives in this area. Here you’ll see the workplace wellbeing journey that Tufts University has embarked on for its vivarium workers, both the rewards and the challenges encountered along the way. Session leaders deliver findings on launching a new program including gathering feedback, tailoring activities and offering, discovering different domains of wellbeing, low effort/high reward activities, and finding times and options for maximum engagement.

Today the path to “leveling up” vivarium operations starts with automation, and this session delivers cost/benefit comparisons for the latest solutions aimed at cost savings, labor efficiency, sustainability and decarbonization, and animal and human welfare. Session leaders examine automation innovations ranging in scope from the cage to whole buildings and illustrate how pressures on programs and budgets are being relieved. They illustrate how AI-optimized cleaning schedules, robotic washing systems, automated guided vehicles, and dynamic ventilation are transforming animal research facilities, and they provide case studies, implementation strategies, and lessons learned.

Don’t gloss over decisions on door design and flooring materials in your vivarium construction and renovation projects – these two components can make or break successful operations. Session leaders examine what’s been learned and where the industry is heading that will influence door and flooring decisions, including “smart doors,” automation, new international standards, and best practices. They chart advantages for space use and operating efficiency, and identify legacy practices being phased out as research organizations demand further improvements in maintenance requirements and operating cost reduction. They provide a cost/benefit analysis of different floor and door options, and deliver renovation and installation strategies that minimize disruption and facility downtime and maintain research environment integrity.