Workshops - CALAS/ACSAL | The Canadian Association for Laboratory Animal Science

Workshops

*Please note: times are approximate and will be confirmed with the final program.

Workshops will take place on Saturday, June 22 and Sunday, June 23, 2024 in Saskatoon. You can register for the symposium and workshops through the Symposium Registration System here. You must be registered for the conference in order to attend the workshops, but if you were previously registered, simply click the "Register Now" button on the Symposium Registration page and login to add workshops to your registration.

Time	Saturday, June 23, 2024
7:00 - 17:00	Registration Open
8:00 - 12:30	Offsite	Offsite
	Husbandry, Handling, Restraint and Injections of Rodents Presenter: Jennifer MacDonald Registration Fee: $175.00 This session will introduce participants basic husbandry and observation of mice and rats, gentle handling and restraint, and injection techniques (SQ, IP, IV). It is recommended for participants who would like practice for their CALAS Certification exams, those who are new to the field, or those who are refining their technique.	Canadian Light Source Tour Presenter: Tour Guide + Researchers Registration Fee: $175.00 The Canadian Light Source (CLS) is one of the largest science projects in Canada’s history. Our facility speeds up electrons to produce intensely bright synchrotron light that allows scientists to study materials at a molecular level. Over 1,000 researchers from around the world use the CLS every year. On your tour, you'll learn about our history, how our machine works, and examples of how researchers have used our facility to conduct groundbreaking research in the fields of health, agriculture, the environment, and advanced materials. After the tour, participants will receive presentations from two CLS research groups. These practical examples will exemplify the ways in which CLS is advancing molecular science.


13:00 – 16:00	Offsite	Offsite	Offsite
	Anesthesia and Blood Collection Techniques in Mice Presenter: Jennifer MacDonald Registration Fee: $175.00 Participants will observe a demonstration and practice a variety of common laboratory animal techniques including inhalant anesthesia, monitoring, and blood sampling (saphenous & tail vein, cardiac puncture), with mice. This workshop is highly recommended for technicians who are proficient in the handling of mice and are seeking expansion of their technical knowledge.	Practical Aquatics and Fish Handling Presenter: Olesya Hursky Registration Fee: $175.00 Workshop will consist of two parts: a short lecture where participants will be introduced to basic aquatic animal husbandry and health, requirements for aquatic animal research, facility oversight and an introduction to common procedures; participants will then attend the practical component, beginning with a discussion centered on case studies that highlight common problems encountered in aquatic research facilities and followed by hands-on experience of fish handling, anesthesia, euthanasia, blood sampling and injections, and necropsy/dissection. Each participant will have an opportunity to practice fish capture and transfer, deep anaesthetization, blood collection methods such as caudal venous puncture, cardiac puncture, and tail ablation, euthanasia, intra peritoneal injection using coconut oil and fish dissection to learn basic internal anatomy.	Smart Farm Technologies Applied To Artificial Reproduction In Beef Cattle Presenter: Jose Alcivar Registration Fee: $175.00 Livestock precision tools are becoming more available for the beef industry, where remote estrus (heat) detection devices, help producer to identify females in ovulatory phase, monitoring onset of heat is one of the big challenge for the widespread of ART's (artificial reproduction techniques) in beef cattle, do it to this involve long period of observation, which add cost with labor and potential low efficiency if compare with remote systems; knowing that FTAI (fix time artificial insemination) have the focused to synchronize females estrus cycle with the objective to AI'd animals at stipulate time. The use of heat detection could increase cows’ conception rates.

Time	Sunday, June 23, 2024
7:00 - 17:00	Registration Open
8:00 - 12:00	Offsite	Offsite	TCU Place	TCU Place	Saskatoon Forestry Farm
8:00 - 12:00	Refined Handling Technique: Using Cupping and Tunnel-Handling to Pick Up Laboratory Mice Presenter: Lauren Young Registration Fee: $175.00 Rather than traditional tail handling, strong evidence indicates that it is advantageous to pick mice up with tunnels, cupped hands, or cage furniture (otherwise called refined handling) prior to standard procedures. However, especially for staff who are familiar with traditional handling, switching to a new style of handling can be challenging. In this workshop, participants will learn how to practically conduct the two major variations of refined mouse handling with both calm and jumpy mice: tunnel handling and cup handling.	Rodent Necropsy Presenter: Kathleen Ma Registration Fee: $175.00 This session will allow the participant to gain hands-on experience performing a complete necropsy on laboratory mice. Participants will be taught how to describe any significant findings and learn how to write up a standard pathology report. At the end of the session, the instructor will demo a rat necropsy to highlight the differences one may expect between the species.	Mouse Colonies: Breeding and Management Presenter: Kathy Banks Registration Fee: $150.00 This workshop will explore the fundamentals of breeding mouse colonies, including transgenics. We will explore different types of transgenic strains in use, how to efficiently start a colony from founders, and how to breed difficult-to-breed or complex transgenic strains. This workshop will utilize a mixture of classroom, small group, and hands-on learning. Bring your problems, and we will help to solve them! (NOTE: This is a repeat of the workshop offered in Montreal in 2023.)	Preparing for the RMLAT Examination Presenter: Jennifer MacDonald Registration Fee: $100.00 This workshop is for any Registry member considering the challenge of taking the Registered Master Laboratory Animal Technician certification exam. Experienced RMLATs from the Registry Committee will outline the exam process and requirements, and will share helpful tips and study methods to prepare for this challenging but rewarding educational experience.	Saskatoon Forestry Farm Tour Presenter: Tour Guide Registration Fee: $175.00 This will be a basic tour and some behind the scenes content. Some of this may include a behind the scene bear enrichment and/or PRT session, tour of the Quarantine facility, the Commissary building, a ride on the Zoo express train, and a tour of the zoo including butterfly house, small mammal house, and public exhibits. After the official tour, participants will have an hour to explore the zoo on their own before returning to the conference.

13:00 – 16:00

Wanuskewin Heritage Park

TCU Place

Wanuskewin Tour

Presenter: Tour Guide

Registration Fee: $175.00

Wanuskewin Heritage Park sits above the Opimihaw Creek and the South Saskatchewan River near Saskatoon – a window into a part of Canada’s history that remains largely undiscovered, and a link to our past unlike any other National Historic Site in Canada. Wanuskewin’s uniqueness is not just the fact that there exists evidence of ancient peoples, but rather the composition of many different aspects of habitation, hunting and gathering, and spirituality – all in one place.

Honey Bee Biology And Common Diseases

Presenter: Ivanna Kozii

Registration Fee: $150.00

This session will cover basic understanding of bee biology and honey bees as a “superorganism”. We will also briefly discuss major disease and challenges in modern beekeeping.