W3A1 DIGITALIZATION IN LABORATORY ANIMAL RESEARCH: WELFARE, SCIENCE AND OPERATIONAL ASPECTS

In drug discovery and development, traditional assessment of human patients or research animals frequently occur at limited and very brief occasions in a potentially challenging environment (i.e., the clinic or a test arena) which can have impact on data quality due to the number of uncontrollable unspecific stressors. Moreover, for animal research, conventional testing has raised the concerns of validity, but also the impact on animal welfare. Recent advances in digital monitoring technologies of research animals show great potential across different levels including facility management, animal welfare, and scientific results. The ability to monitor laboratory animals continuously 24/7 and theoretically throughout their lifetime, provides an opportunity for more relevant and efficient discovery of disease symptom progression, cost-efficient and better facility management (e.g. contingency plans), as well as improved welfare assessment. In preclinical in vivo animal models, these digital technologies allow for continuous, longitudinal and non-invasive monitoring in the home environment.

This workshop provides different overview of digital monitoring technologies aspects including:

• Historical welfare/science aspects are approached in a pharmaceutical company or university level and future how digitalization could improve such processes
• Operational pros and cons for digitalization of a complete facility
• Aspects of digitalization for monitoring and testing animals in their home cage
• Overview of the COST Action “Improving biomedical research by automated behaviour monitoring in the animal homecage”

Info
Chair: Stefano Gaburro, Italy

• 08:00 – 08:30- 30 min (including discussion)
  DIGITAL HOME-CAGE: CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES
  Fabrizio Scorrano (Switzerland)
  
  
• 08:30 – 09:00 – 30 min
  IMPROVED ANIMAL WELFARE AND SCIENTIFIC VALIDITY IN HOME CAGE-BASED AUTOMATED PHENOTYPING OF MICE
  Oliver Stiedl (Netherlands)
  
  
• 09:00 – 09:30 -30 min (including discussion)
  IMPROVING BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH BY AUTOMATED MONITORING OF ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR IN THE HOME-CAGE
  Vootele Voikar (Finland)

S5A1 HOME CAGE MONITORING

Home cage monitoring is nowadays a quickly developing field. New technologies are helping to monitor animals in their familiar environment and, therefore, collect valuable unbiased data about their daily routines, behaviour or physiological parameters. That gives us a broad spectrum of opportunities to refine welfare and severity assessment not only for particular studies but also for regular housing and breeding applications. This session is open to scientists, veterinarians, facility managers, ethical committee members and anybody involved in animal care and welfare who is willing to get familiar with real examples of how home cage monitoring can be beneficial to both animals and scientists.

Info
Chair: Jan Honetschläger, Czech Republic

• 09:00 – 09:18
  DATA COMMUNICATION THROUGH DIGITAL CAGES: PHENOTYPING SPONTANEOUS LOCOMOTOR ACTIVITY IN INBRED AND OUTBRED MOUSE STRAINS
  Sara Fuochi (Switzerland)
  
  
• 09:18 – 09:36- 18 min (incl. 4 min discussion)
  AN IMPEDANCE-BASED AUTOMATED HOME-CAGE SYSTEM DISPLAYS ACTIVITY CHANGES IN AN DSS-INDUCED ACUTE COLITIS MODEL
  Eva Zentrich (Germany)
  
  
• 09:36 – 09:54 - 18 min (incl. 4 min discussion)
  AUTOMATIC ASSESSMENT OF SOCIALLY RELEVANT BEHAVIOUR IN A CNS INJURY MOUSE MODEL: BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES
  Jordi L. Tremoleda (United Kingdom)
  
  
• 09:54 – 10:12 - 18 min (incl. 4 min discussion)
  EXPLORING THE VALUE GAINED BY MONITORING ANIMAL ACTIVITY DURING CALCIPOTRIOL INDUCED ATOPIC DERMATITIS STUDIES
  Joanna Moore (United Kingdom)
  
  
• 10:12 – 10:30 - 18 min (incl. 4 min discussion)
  STUDYING PHYSICAL EXERCISE EFFECT ON MOTOR SKILLS OF THE CMVMJD135 MACHADO-JOSEPH DISEASE MOUSE MODEL
  Magda João Castelhano-Carlos (Portugal)
  
  

Important: The number of places is limited.
It is recommended to arrive a few minutes before the sessions starts.