AALAS at the ACTE

The AALAS Foundation provides funding for exhibiting at various teacher and public outreach trade shows and events. One of these 2007 education events was the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) Conference and Trade Show which was held December 13-14 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. More than 5,000 attendees were on hand.

ACTE is the largest national education association dedicated to the advancement of education that prepares youth and adults for successful careers.



















Joining John McCutchen, AALAS's Director of Member Relations and Marketing at the AALAS booth was Dee Drye, a member of the AALAS Board of Trustees from District 8.

AALAS Learning Library: Latest Courses

LATG Courses
The AALAS Learning Library (www.aalaslearninglibrary.org) now has a complete set of courses corresponding with the new LATG Training Manual. As with the previous LATG courses, a course exists for every chapter of the manual (17 courses in all); there are three review exams and a final exam. Images are more numerous in the courses than in the printed manual. Also, for the first time, the LATG courses incorporate a streaming audio file for each page of every lesson. Now, you can choose to listen to or read the course, or both at the same time!

AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia
A new course on the ALL focuses on the new AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia (formerly known as the Report of the AVMA Panel on Euthanasia). This course is applicable to all animal species used in research. With lessons on the basic concepts of euthanasia and the types of euthanasia agents (inhalants, noninhalant pharmaceuticals, and physical methods), the learner develops an understanding for the categorization of the methods of euthanasia (as acceptable, conditionally acceptable, and unacceptable).

AALAS Seeks New Leaders

The AALAS Nominations Committee invites members to submit nominations for the following positions to be filled during the summer 2008 election for terms 2009–2011. Responsibilities commence at the close of the National Meeting in Indianapolis.

• Vice president-elect
• District 1 trustee
• District 2 trustee
• District 4 trustee and alternate trustee
• District 5 alternate trustee
• District 6 trustee and alternate trustee
• District 7 trustee

To run for vice president-elect, you must submit the required materials no later than February 1, 2008. The candidate packet and information regarding eligibility and job responsibilities for this position are located at http://www.aalas.org/association/leadership.asp. After you go to this page, log in and then click on the "Leadership Nomination Information" link on the left.

Another option is to run for either trustee or alternate trustee in your district. Your district is determined by the address to which your publications and official ballot are mailed. To be eligible, you must be a national member in good standing for the past five years; have served in branch leadership and/or on a district, regional, or national committee during the past five years; and be willing to make a three-year commitment to leadership. Visit the AALAS website or contact the AALAS office for a copy of the signature petition. Gather signatures from at least 25 current AALAS national members within your district and submit the petitions to the AALAS office before April 15, 2008.

AALAS Seeks Participants for Compensation Survey

In January 2008, AALAS will begin conducting the fourth edition of the Laboratory Animal Facility Compensation Survey. The survey will collect detailed salary and benefit information for 12 different positions; training coordinators will be included for the first time. This survey is used extensively by facility directors, human resources departments, and compensation analysts in institutions and companies all across the United States to review salaries and set fair compensation for these positions.

An email broadcast will be sent in January 2008 to all AALAS member institutional and commercial contact members with a link to the online survey form. Institutions and companies that participate will receive a discount when purchasing the survey; in addition, participants who purchase the survey will also receive a customized individual report comparing their institution’s salaries with the overall report.

Abstract Submissions Open January 1

Plans are already underway for the 2008 National Meeting in Indianapolis, IN. Abstract and topic submissions open on January 1, 2008, so be sure to start planning your submissions. The Call for Abstracts and Topics Suggestions will be available on the National Meeting website, which will instruct visitors to access the submission site at aalas.abstractcentral.com.

All members will also be receiving an email with instuctions on how to submit. Past visitors to the site will not need to create new accounts to log in. Submissions for both topics and abstracts close on March 15, 2008.

2008 Tech Week Items Now Available

Join AALAS in recognizing all technicians as "Heroes Behind the Science" during International Laboratory Animal Technician Week (January 27-February 2, 2008). For more details and ordering information, click here.

AALAS Bookstore Update

The AALAS Bookstore will be closed from December 17 until January 3 for inventory purposes. No online orders will be accepted during this time. Any others faxed in will be held for shipment until after these dates. Please call 901-754-8620 with any questions.

Total Pack for Technician Certification

If you plan to take a technician certification exam at any level, you’ll want to take a look at the new packaging of certification resources from AALAS—the Total Pack. The Total Pack assembles the training manual plus all printed resources to help you prepare for your exam. This includes both the workbook and resource kit corresponding with the manual and the Regulatory Workbook.

The manual workbook helps you digest the content of the training manual, with questions on each chapter that you can use to focus your review of the manual’s content. Unit exams and a final exam in the workbook test your knowledge of each section of the manual. The resource kit contains all the reference materials from which your certification exam will draw questions. Acquiring a knowledge of these materials is important for succeeding in your exam, and so these important study items should not be overlooked. A Regulatory Workbook is included in the Total Pack to help you review these same reference materials through succinct summaries and practice questions.

You can still purchase each of these items separately, but the Total Pack puts all the resources you need at your fingertips and at a discount!

GLAS applications now online

Application forms and related documents for Grants for Laboratory Animal Science (GLAS) are now available. The GLAS program aims to enhance scientific knowledge in laboratory animal science through research and to promote collaborative efforts by the AALAS membership within the broader scientific community. Current AALAS members are invited to apply for one-year research grants of up to $25,000 for projects in the laboratory animal science field. The grant submission deadline is February 1, 2008.

ACLAM Accepting Proposals

The ACLAM Foundation is accepting research proposals in Laboratory Animal Science and Medicine. Deadlines are as follows:

• Letters of Intent Due: January 30, 2008.
• Invited Full Proposals Due: Thursday, April 3, 2008.
• Awards Announced: early July 2008.

For more information, go the ACLAM Foundation website:
http://aclam.org/foundation/rfp.html or contact:

Dr. Gregory P Boivin
Scientific Director, ACLAM Foundation
University of Cincinnati
P.O. Box 670529 Cincinnati, OH 45267-0529
Phone: 513-558-9156
E-Mail: boivingp@ucmail.uc.edu

Buyer's Guide Updated

The AALAS Buyer's Guide has been updated for easier searching. You can now search by company, category (e.g., cages), city, and state. Remember, you have to be logged in to access the Buyer's Guide.

AALAS Foundation Recognized at FFA

The AALAS Foundation was honored by the National Future Farmers of America (FFA) organization for its five years of participation in the FFA National Agricultural Career Show in appreciation for their support in helping FFA members explore their futures. AALAS Executive Director Dr. Ann Turner accepted the recognition during the National FFA Convention, October 25, in Indianapolis where more than 54,000 attended. Dr. Turner participated in two panel presentations on careers in veterinary medicine during the conference.

AALAS National Meeting Photos

The AALAS National Meeting in Charlotte had more than 4,600 attendees and more than 300 exhibitors.

Careers Video Now Online

The AALAS Foundation's 15-minute "Careers in Laboratory Animal Science" video is now available for viewing online from the AALAS Foundation website. The video informs students about the variety of careers in laboratory animals science. Through interviews with professionals in the field, students can learn more about the necessity and importance of biomedical research.

6th World Congress

The 6th World Congress on Alternatives and Animal Use in the Life Sciences was held August 21-25, 2007, in Tokyo. Objectives of the Congress are to:

• review progress made toward the 3Rs (Reduction, Refinement, Replacement) in education, research, and testing,
• develop a realistic understanding of the status of alternatives,
• create an understanding that in research, animal studies, together with clinical studies and in vitro methods, advance science,
• contribute to our basic understanding of biology and diseases, and
• encourage constructive discussions between animal protection groups and scientific communities.

AALAS presented a poster at
the meeting and set up an
informational booth for attendees
to learn more about AALAS' mission.

Linda Toth Receives CRL Award

By Americans for Medical Progress

Congratulations to Linda Toth of the Southern Illinois University (SIU) School of Medicine. She received the 2007 Charles River Laboratories’ Excellence in Refinement Award last month at the 6th World Congress on Alternatives and Animal Use in the Life Sciences in Tokyo.

Sponsored by Charles River Laboratories, in cooperation with the Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT), the award honors an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the development, promotion and/or implementation of refinement alternatives. “Refinement,” one of the “3Rs of alternatives,” refers to methods aimed at minimizing pain and distress for laboratory animals.

Dr. Toth was chosen to receive this award for “a body of research that improves both the understanding and practice of refinement alternatives.” Trained in pharmacology and in veterinary medicine, she is Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Associate Dean of Research and Faculty Affairs at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. Her exceptional ability to integrate scientific goals and animal care serves to enhance both the quality of research and the quality of life for laboratory animals.

FBR Appoints Paul McKellips to VP

Frankie L. Trull, president of the Foundation for Biomedical Research (FBR) announced the appointment of Paul McKellips to the position of Vice President.

McKellips, a media veteran has written, directed and produced five motion pictures and numerous television shows. Since moving to Washington in 2004 he has covered the Pentagon and State Department for television news and worked in Iraq for the past year as a public affairs specialist for the State Department’s Global Outreach Team. McKellips serves on the Board of Governors for the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (Emmys) and is a member of the National Press Club.

CDC 10th International Symposium on Biosafety

CDC's 10th International Symposium on Biosafety: Protecting Workers in Clinical Laboratories, Research, Animal Care, and Public Health Communities will be held February 9-13, 2008, at the Omni Hotel at CNN Center, Atlanta.

Keynote Address: "Safer Together - A Common Purpose Arises from Uncommon Diversity" by Caryl Griffin, President, Elizabeth R. Griffin Research Foundation

• Session One - Risk Assessment and Management
• Session Two - Worker Protection
• Session Three - Preparedness
• Session Four - Concurrent: A. Animal Issues, B. Clinical Issues, C. Industrial Hygiene/Biosafety Issues
• Session Five - Facility Design and Equipment

For more information go to http://www.eagleson.org/cdc or call 207-490-1076.

ACLAM Career Pathways Externship

The Career Pathways Committee of ACLAM is seeking applications from institutions that seek to fund veterinary students, and practicing veterinarians looking for a career change, for a 2-12 week externship to explore the field of laboratory animal medicine. A maximum stipend of $1,000 will be awarded per extern in support of extern travel, lodging and education.

Please note: the 2007 deadline for institutional application for the Veterinary Externship Program is September 28. Award announcements will be made by mid November 2007 to allow time for both institutions and student awardees to plan for the upcoming year. The Guidelines and Application forms may be found at http://www.aclam.org/education/pathways.html

For questions or additional information, please contact Pat Turner at pvturner@uoguelph.ca, or call (519) 824-4120 x54497. Completed applications should be sent to Stephanie Murphy murphyst@ohsu.edu.

New Edition of the LATG Training Manual Coming

A revised LATG Training Manual along with the collateral resources (companion CD, workbook, and ALL courses) will be available soon.

The AALAS Educational Resources Committee (ERC) has extensively revised the LATG manual based on the LATG Job Analysis Survey completed in July 2005.

The LATG Training Manual is the first to be revised, replacing the 2000 edition. The ALAT Training Manual will be revised in 2008, and the LAT Training Manual will follow in 2009.

AALAS Adding Hotels for Charlotte Meeting

AALAS has received record response to housing for the AALAS National Meeting in Charlotte, and we have been working closely with the Charlotte Housing Bureau. We have secured many additional hotels to our housing block. Many of the additional hotels are closer to the airport than the downtown area. AALAS will be running shuttles from those properties that are not within walking distance beginning Sunday, October 14. Also, most of those hotels have complimentary shuttle to the airport.

Please note that rooms on Friday, October 12, and Saturday, October 13, are no longer available.

Housing changes or cancellations must be faxed to the housing bureau (704-347-1158), not to the AALAS office. Please be sure to include your confirmation number along with the name and contact information for the reservation.

CompMed Listserve Commands

Desired Task: Send a Msg to List
Send Email to: compmed@listserv.aalas.org
Command in Body of Email: Your Text Here!

Desired Task: Help from a Human
Send Email to: compmed-request@listserv.aalas.org
Command in Body of Email: Help! Your Text Here!

Desired Task: Welcome File
Send Email to: listserv@listserv.aalas.org
Command in Body of Email: GET COMPMED WELCOME

Desired Task: Subscribe
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Command in Body of Email: SUBSCRIBE COMPMED FIRST LASTNAME

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Desired Task: Turn Mail On
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Desired Task: Get Specific Monthly Archive
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Desired Task: Search archives
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Command in Body of Email: SEARCH 'x' IN COMPMED
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Desired Task: Retrieve Specific Messages
Send Email to: listserv@listserv.aalas.org
Command in Body of Email: GETPOST COMPMED Ref1 Ref2
[Ref(s) = message #'s]

Desired Task: Get List of All Commands
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Command in Body of Email: GET LISTSERV REFCARD

Taxonomy and Pronunciation of Bacteria

Looking for a bacterium? Go to http://www.dsmz.de/microorganisms/bacterial_nomenclature.php

For proper pronunciation, go to http://www.kcom.edu/faculty/chamberlain/website/studio.htm

Thanks to Dr. Roger Orcutt for the links.

USDA Seeking Comments on Animal Care Policy

Mary Lou James reports via CompMed that the USDA Animal Care Policy manual is up for public comment. This is an opportunity to give the USDA constructive feedback on its interpretive rules. The comment period ends September 24.

After you go to the site, click on "All Documents Open for Public Comment"

• Step 1: Select what Documents to Search - check "Documents Accepting Comment"
• Step 2: Narrow your search by Federal Department or Agency* - Select "Department of Agriculture -ALL"
• Steps 3 and 4 - SKIP
• Click "Submit"
• Allow it to "process".
• Go to Page 2 and find: APHIS-2007-0110 / APHIS-2007-0110-0001 /Animal Care Policy Manual (Note: this page number will likely change with time.)
  
• If you click on "APHIS-2007-0110" it will bring you to links for the USDA Animal Care Manual and links to all submitted comments.
• If you click on "APHIS-2007-0110-0001" it will bring you to "Document Details" where you will find a link (icon) to "Add Comments". Please note that there is no active link associated with "How To Comment" (i.e., there are NO instructions.)
• Once you click on "Add Comments" icon, you arrive at a form for filling out your contact information followed by a field for entering your comments. Note, you also have the option of attaching a file document.
• Once you have completed the form, select "continue."
• This brings you to a page to review your entries.
• If you are satisfied, click on "Submit". If not, hit "Edit/Cancel".

Laboratory Animal Boards Study Group

The LABSG is an on-line study group for individuals in various stages of preparing for the ACLAM board examination. A message board has been created to provide a forum for exchange of study ideas and resources, stress relieving tips, general examination preparation and moral support of others who are preparing for the ACLAM Mock Exam.

Data Sheets on Biological Agents

Two sources of data sheets on biological agents. Thanks to Glen Otto's post on CompMed.

http://dohs.ors.od.nih.gov/safety_data_sheets.htm

http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/msds-ftss/

AAALAC Technician Fellowship Award

Call for nominations is now open for the 2008 AAALAC International "Technician Fellowship Award." If you are an AALAS Registered Technician, apply today! The deadline is October 1, 2007.

The AAALAC International Technician Fellowship recognizes two outstanding technicians each year--one IAT Registered (RAnTech) technologist and one AALAS Registered (RALAT, RLAT, RLATG, or CMAR) technician--who have made (or have the potential to make) significant contributions to the field of laboratory animal care and use. The award is intended to promote and reward the efforts of technicians who have demonstrated a commitment to a career in laboratory animal science and have shown a strong interest in attaining additional education and training to become more proficient in their vocation.

This Fellowship is valued at more than $4,000. The U.S. winner will receive a week-long guest visit to a prestigious biomedical research facility in the U.K. this spring, plus complimentary attendance at the IAT Congress, the U.K.’s largest laboratory animal science and technology meeting (all registration, travel and lodging expenses are included, along with a daily allowance for meals and out-of-pocket expenses).

Nomination packages must include:

1. Nominating letter (candidates may self-nominate)
2. Current Curriculum Vitae (CV)
3. Up to three letters of support
4. Written statement (up to 500 words) by the candidate describing why s/he should be selected for this award and how s/he will use the experience to benefit the greater laboratory animal science community

The Nomination Package should be sent by October 1, 2007 to:

AAALAC International
c/o The International Technician Fellowship Selection Committee
5283 Corporate Drive, Suite 203
Frederick, MD 21703
FAX: +301.696.9627
EMAIL: accredit@aaalac.org

This award is presented by AAALAC International through a grant by Priority One Services, Inc. (POS) and in cooperation with AALAS, the Institute of Animal Technology (IAT), the Medical Research Counsel (MRC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

OER Grants Web Site Redesign

Click here to go to the site.

New Content Pages

• Grant Application Basics - http://grants.nih.gov/grants/grant_basics.htm
• Grants Process Overview - http://grants.nih.gov/grants/grants_process.htm
• Grants Process At-A-Glance - http://grants.nih.gov/grants/grants_process.htm#process
• Planning Your Application - http://grants.nih.gov/grants/planning_application.htm
• Writing Your Application - http://grants.nih.gov/grants/writing_application.htm
• How to Apply - http://grants.nih.gov/grants/how_to_apply.htm
• Tracking Your Application - http://grants.nih.gov/grants/tracking_application.htm
• Receipt and Referral - http://grants.nih.gov/grants/receipt_referral.htm
• Peer Review Process - http://grants.nih.gov/grants/peer_review_process.htm
• Award Management - http://grants.nih.gov/grants/managing_awards.htm
• Frequent Questions - http://grants.nih.gov/grants/frequent_questions.htm
• T Table - NRSA Training Grants Funding Opportunities - http://grants.nih.gov/training/T_Table.htm
• F Files - NRSA Fellowship Funding Opportunities - http://grants.nih.gov/training/F_files_nrsa.htm

Significant Content Changes to Existing Pages

• Submitting Your Application - http://grants.nih.gov/grants/submitapplication.htm
• Glossary & Acronyms - http://grants.nih.gov/grants/glossary.htm
• Frequently Used Links - http://grants.nih.gov/grants/documentindex.htm
• Types of Grant Programs (Now with Activity Codes list search) - http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/funding_program.htm

Buyers Guide on AALAS Website

Here's how to find vendor products and services through AALAS' website.

1) Go to http://www.aalas.org and login with your username and password.

2) Click on the Advanced Search link.





















3) Start searching for products and services.























Vendors: If you need to make changes to your listing, please contact Carol Hudock carol.hudock@aalas.org at the AALAS office so she can update our database with your information.

Where to Find National Meeting Abstracts

AALAS has PDF files of abstracts from previous AALAS National Meetings accessible from here.

New AALAS Foundation Website

Visit the new and improved AALAS Foundation website at www.aalasfoundation.org today! The redesigned site includes online donation acceptance, as well as information about biomedical research and public outreach. In addition, the existing content was reorganized to be more accessible both to people in the field, as well as the general public.

Also online is a Request for Proposals, and information on obtaining a grant for projects and programs that support the overall mission of the AALAS Foundation.

New Products Coming Soon

Rat Anatomy Poster—an updated version of the Rat Anatomy Poster will be available this fall. Following the style of the Mouse Anatomy Poster, images will be richly detailed and highlight unique features of rat anatomy.

AALAS in a Flash, second version—the original AALAS in a Flash, based on the training manual series, has been a very popular study aid. The new version will have questions from the certification exam reference lists, such as the Animal Welfare Act, the Guide, and PHS Policy. Eight references from all three levels of certification exams have been used as the basis for the questions. As with the first version of AALAS in a Flash, there will be 600 questions in a short answer or true/false format, allowing the user to quickly review material from those references.

Revised Edition of "Working with the IACUC" Now Available

Working with the IACUC: Writing an Animal Protocol has been released in an updated edition, which includes references to the the new standards of the 5th edition BMBL and an expansion of sections on euthanasia and injection and blood collection. The USDA Animal Welfare Act and Public Health Service policy and guidelines require training for investigators who work with animals in research, and this resource can help meet those requirements.

The updated resource is available at the same price as the previous edition—$8 for members, and $12 for nonmembers. Discounts are available on orders of 15 or more. Order at http://www.aalas.org/bookstore/index.aspx.

New ALL Course—Working with the Laboratory Dog: The Basics

A new course is now available on the AALAS Learning Library: “Working with the Laboratory Dog: The Basics.” This course is based on The Laboratory Dog CD series produced by the Department of Veterans Affairs and AALAS. It covers basic topics in the care and use of dogs in a research environment, including identifying regulatory requirements for routine husbandry, occupational health and safety issues, animal identification, and much more.

Leadership Academy Nominations

The AALAS Leadership Academy is a leadership skills training seminar held in conjunction with the 58th National AALAS Meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is open to representatives from each branch at no cost to the individual.

Branch members may nominate themselves or someone else; however, the nomination must be endorsed by the branch president. Each branch is allowed one primary and one alternate individual to attend. You may submit additional alternates to a waiting list to fill vacancies which may be created by branches that do not send attendees. Branch officers are asked to ensure that this information is relayed to all branch members and is suggested that it be printed in your branch’s newsletter as a resource.

The Leadership Academy seminars will be held in Providence Ballroom III at the Westin Hotel. Saturday’s session will begin promptly at 1:00 p.m. and materials will be provided for each participant upon arrival. A reception for all attendees will be held from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. on Saturday following the session. On Sunday morning, from 7:00 – 8:00 a.m., a continental breakfast will be provided. Sunday’s session will begin promptly at 8:00 a.m. In order to receive your certificate of completion from Leadership Academy you must attend all of the sessions.

To obtain a nomination form, please contact John McCutchen at 901-754-8620 or john.mccutchen@aalas.org. The deadline to submit the nomination form to the AALAS office is August 24th.

Election Results

Congratulations to the following members who will assume leadership positions at the close of the 2007 National Meeting.

Vice President-Elect / Deborah L. Donohoe, BA, LATG
District 1 Trustee / Regina M. Correa-Murphy, RLATG
District 1 Alternate Trustee / Marie-Angelee Ortega, BA, RLATG
District 2 Alternate Trustee / Raymond Butler, RLATG
District 3 Trustee / Roxanne Fox, AA, BS, CMS, LATG
District 5 Trustee / Ralph E. Hornickel, BS, RLATG
District 6 Trustee / Paige A. Werner, MBA, CMAR, LATG
District 7 Trustee / John A. Park, Jr., RLATG
District 8 Trustee / Dee Drye
District 8 Alternate Trustee / Ricardo A. Alvarez, RALAT

New Laboratory Animal Nutrition Course on the ALL

AALAS Learning Library (ALL) users will benefit from the newest course, "Laboratory Animal Nutrition." Developed by LabDiet®, this course provides an overview of the major nutrients required for proper laboratory animal nutrition, discusses the dietary requirements for common laboratory animal species, explains how dietary manipulations can be used in a research protocol, and provides information on custom diet formulations. This course is available in the Animal Care & Husbandry track and the Animal Health, Disease & Medicine track. Access to this course requires an account on the ALL.

AALAS National Election: Return Ballot by July 2

Official ballots for the 2007 AALAS national election have been mailed to all national AALAS members whose membership status is current. Be sure to cast your vote prior to the July 2, 2007, deadline for ballot returns.

Please note that you must vote in the district where your ballot is mailed. Incorrectly cast ballots are not counted. Instructions for casting your vote are included on the official ballot.

New Work Experience Criteria for Certification Programs

On May 21, new work experience criteria went into effect for the technician certification program. Now, experience gained in a non lab animal setting can be applied to your work experience criteria, using the following formula: 0.5 year in a non-lab animal environment = 1 month of lab animal experience.

In addition, the work experience criteria for the LAT and LATG has been reduced. Candidates with an ALAT certification that do not have a high school diploma or GED can apply for the LAT exam after gaining 2 years of experience after earning their ALAT certification.

The CMAR program also implemented new eligibly criteria based on survey results and feedback from members. Candidates may apply under one of the following criteria:

* Candidates with bachelors degree must document five years of work experience in the laboratory animal field, of which three must be in a managerial capacity.
* Candidates with associates degree must document eight years of work experience in the laboratory animal field, of which three must be in a managerial capacity.
* Candidates with a high school or GED diploma must document 10 years of work experience in the laboratory animal field, of which three must be in a managerial capacity.

CALAS Symposium

From left: Bruce Kennedy, AALAS president; Kim Edgar, LAMA president; and Gordon Yee, CALAS President.

The 46th Annual Symposium began June 2 in Calgary, AB. The conference offered a keynote address from Dr. Joseph Bielitzki and a general scientific program that covered areas such as antimicrobial therapy, infectious diseases, and inflammation and immunity. Also covered were how to build state-of-the-art animal facilities, cutting edge animal care programs, and top-notch animal care teams. Craig Bihun served as Scientific Program Chair and Doug Morck as Workshop Chair.

Election Ballot Coming

By Dr. Ann Turner, Executive Director

One sign of a vigorous association is excitement and widespread interest from the membership in seeking elected office. AALAS is indeed a healthy association. This year, there are more candidates seeking trustee and alternate trustee positions than in the past several years. Several candidates, all stellar individuals filed petitions for Vice President Elect, and the Nominations Committee had the arduous task of choosing two of these candidates to be placed on the ballot.

The ballots were mailed June 1. Now it is your turn to contribute to the health of our organization by participating in this election. When you receive your ballot, please review it, give careful consideration to the candidates' experience and position statements, choose the candidates you believe can best lead the association in the coming years, and VOTE! Ballots must be cast (postmarked) on or before July 5.

AALAS Foundation Board Seeks Directors

The AALAS Foundation Board will have four director-at-large positions open to be seated during the AALAS National Meeting in Charlotte, NC this fall 2007. These positions are open to all qualified candidates who wish to support the Foundation and participate in its efforts to support educational outreach on the essential role of responsible laboratory animal care and use in science to advance human and animal health. Interested candidates may contact John McCutchen for more information or send a resume and/or CV and a brief statement of their goals as an AALAS Foundation director-at-large by close of business June 4.

Reserve Your Room for the AALAS National Meeting

The AALAS Housing Bureau is now open and accepting reservations for the AALAS National Meeting. You may make reservations by phone, fax, or by using the website. If you are planning on extending your stay in Charlotte outside of the dates of the AALAS National Meeting, you must make your reservations by fax or phone.

ILAM 2007

The 4-day training for AALAS' Institute for Laboratory Animal Management (ILAM) concluded with the awards ceremony on May 10. AALAS President Bruce Kennedy attended and presented an overview of AALAS' accomplishments. Congratulations to all participants and the ILAM Committee: Ann Murray, chair; Jussi Helppi, vice chair; Mike Gliganic; Dave Johnson; Adam Seddiqui; Dr. Richard Simmonds; Linda Brovarney; Board of Trustees Liaison Donna Goldsteen; and AALAS Staff Liaisons Carolyn Simonton and Betty Cartwright.

Cost of Caring Brochure: An Important Resource

The Cost of Caring brochure is a helpful resource to guide staff on handling their grief over the morbidity and mortality of laboratory animals in a research setting. This resource discusses the emotional experiences of personnel who work and bond with laboratory animals, and it offers coping strategies for animal research personnel and facility management.

This brochure is free for download as a PDF from the AALAS web site. New packaging and discounts of the printed brochure also make this resource very affordable for distribution among staff. Brochures may be purchased in packs of 10 for $10, and discounts are applied to volume purchases: 10% for 3-4 packs, 20% for 5-9 packs, and 40% for 10 or more packs. Visit the AALAS Bookstore today to obtain copies for your staff.

National Meeting Update

The 58th annual AALAS National Meeting is only a few short months away! Registration is now open for the meeting. General attendees may take advantage of online registration.

Exhibitors must register through their companies. The AALAS Housing Bureau will be open by the end of the month. Another email will be sent out with instructions for booking housing and a link to the site. Review of abstract and topic submissions for the program continues.

The preliminary program will be online by mid June, with a hard copy soon to follow. Workshop registration forms will be available online by the end of June. Additional emails will be sent to alert you of these developments.

AALAS National Election: Vote for Your Leaders!

Official ballots for the 2007 AALAS national election will soon be mailed to all national AALAS members whose membership status is current. Watch your mailbox for your copy of the ballot and be sure to cast your vote prior to the July 5, 2007 deadline for ballot returns.

Click here for a complete listing of vice president-elect, trustee, and alternate trustee candidates. (You must be logged on to view the web page.) The website and the official ballot include the names of all eligible candidates for each position, their position statements, photos, and background/credential information.

Please note that you must vote in the district where your ballot is mailed. Incorrectly cast ballots are not counted. Instructions for casting your vote are included on the official ballot.

AALAS Awards Deadline Extended

The AALAS awards submission deadline has been extended from May 1 to June 1 in order to attract more entries.

The seven awards are the Griffin, Garvey, Brewer, Collins, Technician of the Year, Bhatt Young Investigator, and Cohen Animal Stewardship award. General nominations are not necessary for the AALAS Technician Publication Award or the Poster Session Awards.

All awards except the Poster Session Awards will be presented during the AALAS Opening General Session. The Poster Session Awards will be presented during the AALAS General Membership Meeting.

LAWTE Accepting Abstracts

The Laboratory Animal Welfare Training Exchange is now accepting abstracts for posters for the Bi-annual LAWTE meeting in Boston this August 8-10, 2007.

The presentation of a poster provides an alternative opportunity for presenting training ideas at the Laboratory Animal Welfare Training Exchange meeting.

The poster categories are

1. Training the Trainer - topics which provide ideas, suggestions, procedures, including experience, regarding making a "better" or "more effective" trainer.
2. Training Techniques - actual novel techniques used in specific training (in any area of laboratory animal science) including the use of alternatives (previous historical / published examples include the use of the Koken rat).
3. Training Management - topics surrounding novel ideas for documenting and record keeping various aspects of the training program, training, database collection, databases, etc.

Authors will be expected to be present to discuss their posters during the LRC event on August 9th, times to be listed in the LAWTE Meeting official program. Detailed poster submission and construction instructions will be available on the LAWTE website. Winning poster contestants will receive a monetary award.

Please contact the Poster Committee Chair Kim Overhulse if you need assistance with the poster submissions.

Resources for Animal Use in University Courses

By Nicole Duffee, DVM, PhD
Director, AALAS Education & Scientific Affairs

The following resources, although aimed at pre-college education levels, may be useful for a college biology 101 course.

ILAR has guideline principles in the use of animals in education, and AALAS recognized these ILAR principles in a postion statement with the addition of recommendations and links to other resources.

Use of Animals in Precollege Education
PDF version -
http://www.aalas.org/pdf/precollege_education.pdf
HTML version -
http://www.aalas.org/association/position_statements.asp#Precollege

There are also a series of Fact Sheets on animal care (specific species and animal groups) and key issues (allergies, pain and distress) which are downloadable as PDFs at:
http://www.kids4research.org/publications/caring_for_animals.htm

AALAS Foundation Seeks Auction Items for Charlotte

The AALAS Foundation is holding its annual Silent & Live Auctions again at the AALAS National Meeting in Charlotte! Thank you for your generous donations in past years!

The annual auctions help raise funds to support educational outreach on the essential role of responsible laboratory animal care and use. Please participate again this year by donating items for the auction.

Auction Details: The Silent Auction opens Sunday, October 14th at 9:00 a.m. and closes Wednesday, October 17th at 12:30 p.m., immediately preceding the close of the exhibit hall. The Live Auction will be held Wednesday evening during the Foundation Appreciation Reception.

If you would like to donate an item for the Foundation Auction, please send a brief description of the item(s), approximate value, and donor info to Sheryl Joyner or by fax to 901-753-0046. Please call 901-754-8620 with questions. Donations must be received in the AALAS national office by September 14, 2007 (to be shipped to Charlotte) or you may bring your item to the Foundation Booth in the Charlotte Convention Center.

Ship items to:
AALAS Foundation
c/o Auction
9190 Crestwyn Hills Drive
Memphis, TN 38125

For Users of the VA researchtraining.org Website

By Nicole Duffee, DVM, PhD
Director, AALAS Education & Scientific Affairs

This is for institutions which are users of the VA ResearchTraining.Org web site (RT) for staff training. Below are updates on the transition of the ResearchTraining.Org to the AALAS Learning Library. If you are one of the institutions using RT, please share this with your IACUC staff or research administration.

TRANSITION DATE CHANGED
The transition date for the integration of the VA training website ResearchTraining.org (RT) with the AALAS Learning Library (ALL) has been moved to May 14, 2007 (a delay of 2 weeks). The 90-day period of free use of the ALL has been shifted, accordingly, to end on September 14.

TRAINING AVAILABLE FOR RT ADMINISTRATORS
In the first two weeks of May, we will be scheduling several free training sessions to assist RT Admins in learning how to use the ALL and manage their personnel's training on the ALL. These training sessions will be web-based with audio over toll-free phone lines. RT Admins will receive an invitation email with information about these sessions early next week (around April 23). If your RT Admin has received the update email, please have them contact me.

ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. By April 27, we will send RT Admins a list of instructions to aid their personnel in accessing the ALL and navigating to their courses. These instructions will be appropriate for electronic distribution or posting on a web site.
2. About a week before the transfer, RT Admins will receive an email confirming their ALL logins (username and password). (Some RT logins may have to be changed if they conflict with any ALL login.) The RT Admins' new ALL logins will give these individuals (one per ALL group) the authorities needed to manage their personnel's access to the ALL. (If you are an RT Admin, please plan on participating in one of the free web training sessions to learn how to use the ALL in the capacity of a group coordinator.)
3. By May 14, each institution's logins and user records (all personnel) and any custom courses will be transferred automatically to the ALL, unless an institution specifically requests otherwise.
4. After the transfer has taken place, RT Admins will receive a notification email with information on how many accounts are available to them for staff training through September 14.
5. When the RT transfer has been completed, the RT site will be taken off-line. However, the RT database will be archived for about a year if the need arises to verify data records.

ONLINE QUESTIONNAIRE STILL AVAILABLE
If an institution has not yet completed the RT user needs questionnaire, it is not too late. This questionnaire will remain available until May 4 at: http://www.questionpro.com/akira/TakeSurvey?id=648111

The information collected in this survey relates to whether your institution wishes to transfer its RT data and courses to the ALL, and if so, how many persons may be expected to require training on the ALL between May 14 and September 14. We will use your responses to give your institution the number of free accounts needed during this period.

If you have any questions about the transfer of RT to the ALL, please do not hesitate to contact the following AALAS staff:

Nicole Duffee (nicole.duffee@aalas.org)
Pam Grabeel (pam.grabeel@aalas.org)
Alicia Bellow (alicia.bellow@aalas.org)
Brenda Johson (brenda.johnson@aalas.org)

Government Relations Committee

The Government Relations Committee, chaired by Dr. Chip Price, held their first meeting at the AALAS national office April 18-19. One of the reasons why this committee was formed was to monitor federal legislative and regulatory issues that might impact the field of laboratory animal science.

The OLAW Checklist

The OLAW checklist is a great tool "as is" or customized to meet an institution's specific needs. It is used by many institutions to help facility Program Review and Facility inspection. However, it was developed prior to the publication of the 1996 Guide and therefore fails to include "IACUC training" and "Animal Facility Emergency/Disaster Plan" in the Program Review portion of the checklist.

I strongly suggest that if you use the OLAW checklist "add" these two very important (and required) program components so that they are not missed in the semi-annual review.

From Mary Lou James, BA, LATG, Consultant, Regulatory Compliance via CompMed.

More Services for Journals Coming

AALAS is transitioning to Dartmouth Journal Services for the printing of its journals, Comparative Medicine and the Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science. Here's what this means for authors and readers:

1. Articles will be online as HTML. Currently, AALAS only has the capability for PDF articles.
2. Authors can take advantage of Dartmouth's DigitalExpert system for automated feedback on producing technically correct figures.
3. Authors will receive free ePrints.

In other journal news, AALAS will soon have available an updated End Notes template for authors.

Register Online for National Meeting

You can now register online for the AALAS National Meeting in Charlotte.

Postal Rates Going Up

The U.S. Postal Service approved an increase in the price of a First-Class stamp to 41 cents, authorized the issuance of the Forever Stamp, approved shape-based pricing, and set May 14 as the date for implementation of these changes. More details here.

AALAS General Services Specialist Joe Fraser explains the upcoming postal rate increase to coworkers.

165 miles per hour...

...that's how fast AALAS staff members went at the Richard Petty Driving Experince in Charlotte. Betty Cartwright, Carolyn Simonton, and Ann Turner were in town for the AALAS Program Committee meeting.

Animal Legal & Historical Web Center

There are over 700 full text cases (US, Historical and UK) and 975 U.S. statutes fully available on the site, with Michigan and California being very comprehensive. There is also a number of legal articles addressing a wide variety of animal topics.

AVMA Names DeHaven

Dr. Ron DeHaven, administrator of the USDA's Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), has been named the new executive vice president at the American Veterinary Medical Association. With more than 25 years of public health experience, DeHaven will succeed Dr. Bruce Little, retiring this year after service as executive vice president since 1996.

10th Brazilian Congress

The Brazilian Association for Laboratory Animal Science hosted the 10th Brazilian Congress on Laboratory Animal Science, 6th International Congress on Laboratory Animal Science and 5th Meeting of Mercosul Researchers in Sao Paulo March 19-21. The theme was "Animal Experimentation and the Future of Biomedical Research."

From left: Ann Turner, executive director of AALAS; Harry Rozmiarek of ICLAS; Sylvia Ortiz, President of COBEA; Marcel Frajblat, Incoming President of COBEA; and Jim Swearengen, AAALAC, Int.

Pet Food Recall Update

From the AVMA

The AVMA has been closely monitoring the recent pet food recall issued by the FDA and the overwhelming number of media reports it has generated. As a result, you may be getting inquiries about this from the general public or seeing patients potentially affected by ingestion of the recalled products.

As a service to our members, the Association has compiled and continues to constantly update resources for veterinarians and the general public on the AVMA Web site at http://www.avma.org.

The resources can be accessed from the home page by clicking on "Pet Food Recall," or by going directly to http://www.avma.org/aa/menufoodsrecall/default.asp.

For veterinarians, these resources include:
* A complete list of recalled products
* Emerging news about the possible causative agent(s)
* Data from the Animal Medical Center of New York City
* Up to the minute information from the companies and federal agencies affected by this recall
* Guidelines for veterinarians from the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
* A fact sheet written specifically for veterinarians
* A checklist for dealing with suspected contaminated food from JAVMA

In addition, the AVMA has made a concerted effort to share all that it knows about the recall with the public to help reduce unwarranted fear.

If you haven't already, please visit the Web site, and check back for updates. The AVMA continues to expand and refresh these materials as new information becomes available.

James E. Corbin (1921-2007)

Dr. James E. Corbin, 1972 AALAS president and the 2004 Griffin Award winner, passed away March 1, 2007 at the age of 85.

Dr. Corbin’s distinguished career in laboratory animal science spanned five decades, including a 19-year tenure at Ralston Purina Company, where he played a leading role in developing the Purina pet foods that are now known and used by consumers worldwide. In addition to his pioneering advances in animal nutrition and nourishment, Dr. Corbin’s professional life has also been characterized by active participation in over a dozen science organizations and associations. Notable positions include his former presidency of AALAS, his past committee memberships on behalf of such government agencies as the National Research Council and the FDA, and his most recent status as Fellow of the American Society of Animal Science. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Kentucky. His doctoral work was completed at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Corbin also had a noted military career—he served as a lieutenant with the U.S. Navy during World War II. He retired as Professor Emeritus in 1984, but remained active in the industry through consulting until 2006.

In recognition of his many contributions, a memorial scholarship fund is being established—the Dr. James B. Corbin Companion Animal Biology Scholarship—for students in the University of Illinois agricultural, consumer, and environmental sciences. Contributions may be sent to Louise Rogers, associate dean for development, 166 Bevier Hall, 905 S. Goodwin, Urbana, IL, 61801.

JAALAS Wins Award

The September 2006 issue of JAALAS won the Association TRENDS Gold Award. Association TRENDS is the national newspaper for association executives and suppliers for the latest news, information and trends in association management for the professional staff of international, national, state, regional and local voluntary organizations.

Dr. Linda Toth is editor in chief of JAALAS, and Dr. Susan Compton is associate editor.

Flying Snake

Photograph by Jake Socha

Did you know? The paradise tree snake is one of the smaller flying snakes and the best glider. It’s been known to travel a distance up to 330 feet in the air. You can discover more fascinating facts like this at National Geographic. http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/animals/a-to-z.html

New Version of IACUC.org

The new version of the IACUC.ORG website has been launched. The site provides resources to anyone interested in the functions of an institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC). An IACUC is an ethical committee in place at every U.S. research institution (universities, pharmaceutical companies, etc.) with regulatory oversight by the USDA and the NIH. The people who browse this site are often new IACUC members or researchers learning about their IACUC.

TriBranch Symposium 2007

The Delaware Valley Branch is hosting the TriBranch Symposium 2007 at the Atlantic City (NJ) convention center June 10-12. The preliminary program, abstracts for posters, and registration information may be found at http://www.tribranch.org/prelim07.html

CTAD at the AALAS National Office

Members of the Committee on Technician Awareness and Development, chaired by Deb Lust, met in Memphis March 9-10 to plan for a variety of upcoming activities.

March 2007 JAALAS Now Available

View abstracts and download articles (login required) at http://www.aalas.org/pdfUtility.aspx?pdf=currentCT.

BIOLOGY
Variation in Organ Volumes of Matched BALB/c Mice by Microcomputed Tomography Analysis
Robin J Kastenmayer and Kathy A Perdue

Effect of Method of Euthanasia on Sperm Motility of Mature Sprague-Dawley Rats
Shannon A Stutler, Eric W Johnson, Kenneth R Still, David J Schaeffer, Rex A Hess, and Darryl P Arfsten

Discrimination of C57BL/6J Rj and 129S2/SvPasCrl Inbred Mouse Strains by Use of Simple Sequence Length Polymorphisms
Celine Lamacchia, Gaby Palmer, and Cem Gabay

Genomic Comparison of Lewis and Wistar-Furth Rat Substrains by Use of Microsatellite Markers
Ralph J Callicott, Scott T Ballard, and James E Womack

Anesthesia for Cardiovascular Interventions and Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Pigs
Gernot M Kaiser, Frank Breuckmann, Stephanie Aker, Holger Eggebrecht, Hilmar Kuehl, Raimund Erbel, Nils R Fruhauf, Christoph E Broelsch, and Harald H Quick

FACILITY MANAGEMENT
Use of Environmentally Enriched Housing for Rats with Spinal Cord Injury: The Need for Standardization
Darlene A Burke, David SK Magnuson, Christine D Nunn, Kimberly G Fentress, Mary L Wilson, Alice H Shum-Siu, Meika C Moore, Logan E Turner, William W King, and Stephen M Onifer

Efficacy of Fenbendazole and Milbemycin Oxime for Treating Baboons (Papio cynocephalus anubis) Infected with Trichuris trichiura
Mason V Reichard, Roman F Wolf, David W Carey, Jennifer Jane Garrett, and Heather A Briscoe

EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUE
Strategies for Refinement of Abdominal Device Implantation in Mice: Strain, Carboxymethylcellulose, Thermal Support, and Atipamezole
Nancy A Johnston, Christine Bosgraaf, Lisa Cox, Joel Reichensperger, Steven Verhulst, Calvin Patten Jr, and Linda A Toth

A Specific Polymerase Chain Reaction Based on the gyrB Gene Sequence and Subsequent Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis of Pasteurella pneumotropica Isolates from Laboratory Mice
Nobuhito Hayashimoto, Masami Ueno, Akira Takakura, and Toshio Itoh

Complete Blood Count, Clinical Chemistry, and Serology Profile by Using a Single Tube of Whole Blood from Mice
Charles E Wiedmeyer, Dawn Ruben, and Craig Franklin

Automated Mouse Euthanasia in an Individually Ventilated Caging System: System Development and Assessment
Alyssa R McIntyre, Robert A Drummond, Elyn R Riedel, and Neil S Lipman

Comparison of Cardiovascular Effects of Tiletamine-Zolazepam, Pentobarbital, and Ketamine-Xylazine in Male Rats
Dhanonjoy C Saha, Animita C Saha, Gautam Malik, Mark E Astiz, and Eric C Rackow

The Evaluation of Whole-body Plethysmography as a Semiautomated Method for Analysis of Emesis in the House Musk Shrew (Suncus murinus)
Nobuhiko Tashiro, Masanori Kataoka, Kazunori Ozawa, and Takuya Ikeda

CASE REPORTS
Epistylididae ectoparasites in a colony of African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis)
Kathleen R Pritchett and George E Sanders

Uterine Epithelioid Trophoblastic Tumor in an African Green Monkey (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus)
David Chu, Ie-Ming Shih, Mary Knezevich, and Sachiv Sheth

PUBLIC STATEMENT
Guidelines for the Assessment and Management of Pain in Rodents and Rabbits
ACLAM

Sixth World Congress

The Sixth World Congress on Alternatives and Animal Use in the Life Sciences is scheduled to be held August 21-25, 2007 in Tokyo, Japan. For more information about the Congress and program submission forms, go to http://www.ech.co.jp/wc6/index.html. The deadline for submission of abstracts is March 31st.

New Law for Tax Exempt Organizations

In August of 2006 Congress enacted and the President signed the Pension Protection Act of 2006.

The principle change made by this law, and one that will affect all Branches that have received a tax exempt letter from the IRS (qualifying the Branch as a 501(c)(3) organization) is that as of the year 2008 all organizations recognized as being exempt from Federal taxes by the IRS will be required to make an annual filing with the IRS. Prior to the enactment of this law, tax exempt organizations with annual income below $25,000 (from dues, meetings, exhibits or whatever) had no filing requirement. Organizations with income exceeding $25,000 always have been and will still be required to file an annual Form 990 (IRS Form 990, Return of an Organization Exempt from Tax).

Another provision of this law that may affect those Branches that file Unrelated Business Income (UBI) Forms with their annual 990 tax form (IRS Form 990-T, Exempt Organization Business Income Tax Return) is that they are now required to have this form available for public inspection as well as their 990s. (Advertising income in publications is probably the main source of UBI for tax exempts, including Branches.)

The changes made by this recent law for organizations that have received an exemption letter from the IRS pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the tax code can be found at www.irs.gov. Click on Charities and Religious Organizations and once there click on “New Law Revises EO Tax Rules.”

As of this date, the IRS has not announced what will be required in the “annual notice” that those organizations with less than $25,000 in income will have to file as of 2008. The IRS website states that what will be required will be posted “soon.”

If your branch is filing a Form 990, it is recommended that your accountant or whoever is filing the 990 review this website.

As soon as the IRS posts its requirements for the Annual Notice AALAS will pass these on to the Branches.

AALAS accepting nominations for Trustees

The Nominations Committee invites AALAS members to submit nominations for the following open positions to be filled during the summer 2007 election for 2008-2010 terms. Responsibilities for all positions commence at the close of the National Meeting in Charlotte.

District 1 – Trustee & Alternate Trustee
District 2 – Alternate Trustee
District 3 – Trustee
District 5 – Trustee
District 6 – Trustee
District 7 – Trustee
District 8 – Trustee & Alternate Trustee

To submit a nomination, go to the AALAS website, log in with your username and password, and access the file circled in red ("Leadership Nomination Information"). Nominating Petitions must be submitted to the AALAS office no later than April 13, 2007.

District 5 Annual Meeting

The Northern Ohio Branch of AALAS has put together a meeting of getting back to the basics for technicians. This year’s meeting is being held May 2-4th at the Bertram Inn and Conference Center. The meeting will be featuring Technician Based Lectures, Wet Labs, Posters, Vendor Exhibits, and as always “Rockin’ into Research” social events.

For more information, visit here.

Test your knowledge of animal group names

What is a group of gorillas called?
What is a group of ants called?
What is a group of warthogs called?
What is a group of bats called?

Everyone knows that a group of fish is a school and a bunch of geese is a gaggle. But did you know that a group of squirrels is a dray and a bunch of badgers is a cete?

Test your knowledge here.

National Meeting Update

Abstract and topic submission is site is now open at http://aalas.abstractcentral.com. The submission deadline is March 15. For information about the types of presentations and how to submit, view the Call for Abstracts and Topic Submissions at http://nationalmeeting.aalas.org/callforabs.asp.

Bruce Kennedy and the Program Committee have introduced the Oncology Forum. Those with backgrounds and expertise in research, clinical care, and husbandry of animal models of oncology are especially encouraged to submit.

Prospective exhibitors can access the Exhibitor Prospectus at http://nationalmeeting.aalas.org/exh_pros.asp. It includes all the regulations, booth specs and pricing, sponsorship opportunities, and application forms.

Audio recordings and webinars from the 2006 meeting in Salt Lake City are still available. View the webinars at http://www.aalas.org/webinars.asp, and purchase audio recordings at http://www.lawrencemg.com/conferencerecording/go/aalas1006/.

RSS Feed Now Available for JAALAS

JAALAS now has a RSS feed link available on the AALAS website. The link is located in the Quick Links section underneath the member login. RSS is a family of web feed formats used to distribute frequently updated content to users who subscribe to the feed. To subscribe to the JAALAS feed you must download a feed reader or aggregator to your computer. Internet Explorer and Firefox browsers allow you to receive feeds through the Live Bookmarks function. There are numerous free aggregator programs available.

Once you have a feed reader program you can subscribe to the JAALAS feed by simply clicking on the link. The steps to subscribing will vary depending on the type of reader program you are using, but all are simple and straightforward. Once you have subscribed to the feed you will be automatically notified every time new JAALAS content is uploaded to www.aalas.org. An RSS feed for Comparative Medicine will be created starting with the February 2007 issue.