Workshop on Colony Management: Principles and Practices

About

This course provides training in the theory and practice of maintaining mouse colonies for research. This program is designed for anyone requiring an understanding of issues relating to the management of animal research. Participants completing this course will obtain a thorough understanding of colony management best practice that incorporates the latest developments and trends in the use of the laboratory mouse in research.

There will be two format options for the 2019 course. Participants have the choice of enrolling in a one-day biomethods training session either before or after a three-day period of classroom instruction. Please choose one of the following when registering:

Option A: Biomethods training in the lab on Monday, April 1 and classroom instruction on Tuesday, April 2 - Thursday April 4.
Option B: Classroom instruction on Tuesday, April 2 - Thursday, April 4 and biomethods training in the lab on Friday, April 5

Workshop topics include:

• Mouse Genetics*
• Gene and Strain Nomenclature*
• Colony Set-up and Breeding Strategies
• Importing Mice
• Maintaining Severely Immune Compromised Mice
• Genetic Quality Control
• Genetic Background Effects on Phenotype
• Web-Based Resources for Mouse Researchers 
• Guidelines for Maintaining Mouse Health 
• Eliminating Infectious Contaminants
• Cryopreservation 
• Using Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs)
• Reproductive Biology of the Laboratory Mouse* 
• Technologies & Repositories: PDX, CRISPR-Cas, KOMP, T1D, & JAX Mice
• Nutritional Aspects of Maintaining Animal Health and Phenotype
• Screening for Microbiota
• Basics of Cre-LOX*
• Hands-On Biomethods (Mouse handling, restraint, oral gavage, injections (IP, subcutaneous and tail vein),  blood collection (submandibular, tail tip and cardiac puncture), primary and secondary euthanasia and perfusion.

This workshop can be used for continuing education units for AALAS recertification.

*This material will be available online via the course learning management system approximately one month prior to the start of the workshop.  Registered participants are encouraged to view this content in advance of the workshop.