BRF Update - MAY 2021
As you would know the focus for our team over the last couple of months has been managing critical staffing levels and changes to a number of roles, which we are still working through. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone for working with us with patience throughout this period, it is hugely appreciated, as well as to all our team members who have been working so hard and stepping up throughout this time. As always please let us know if you have any queries or concerns at all.
We do have a number of important updates as follows:
Current animal orders/shipments/transfer days
We have reduced the frequency/days for animal transfers to try and increase the efficiency of these tasks whilst we have limited staffing.
Tuesdays – Internal transfers - animals are moved from the breeding wing to the experimental wing. Note that we have a new form (attached) with details on how to book ear notching/tail tattooing. The new form is also available on the BRF page on the TRI Intranet.
Wednesdays – Inter-facility transfers – animals are moved from TRI to AIBN and other UQBR facilities, organised centrally through UQBR – email [email protected].
Wed-Fri – animal orders from ARC arrive (dependant on changes to flight schedules) – ordered online via the UQBR website or email [email protected].
Pest infestation
Unfortunately we have an infestation of tobacco beetles (Lasioderma serricorne) in our washup area, and despite increased cleaning and monitoring practices we have noticed that they have spread to the airlocks and clean washup area and are now found in the research corridor. Note that as cages are autoclaved prior to entering the breeding wing, and as the breeding wing airlock to washup doors are kept closed that we do not expect them to spread to the breeding wing easily. We have booked pest control to treat the entire washup area and airlock next Thurs-Fri 13th-14th May which will involve a large operational effort by our team to complete the bulk of cage changing Mon-Weds prior, cleaning and moving equipment, emptying/sealing the area for treatment, followed by additional cleaning the following day. The airlock where dirty cages and black trolleys are stored normally in the research wing will be inaccessible on the Thurs/Fri – we will set up signage and a temporary area for this.
Staffing updates
I would like to welcome and/or congratulate the following people:
Paige Foster – Paige is an experienced animal technician who has worked across a number of UQBR facilties, who joined the experimental wing team as a H4 animal technical officer on 8th March.
Rodrick Rupan – Rick has been doing a fantastic job as our Deputy Manager over the last 5 years and will be taking on a maternity leave (~8 months) secondment to the UQBR Training and Regulatory Compliance Coordinator role starting in June. We are currently in the process of sourcing cover for the Deputy Manager role.
Telischa Parfitt – Telischa is an experienced animal technician who has joined us from the AIBN facility, who has been assisting in providing cover in the gnotobiotic facility, currently performing H4 duties in this area.
Vik Manodaran and Monalisa Oliveira – Vik and Monalisa joined the team as trainee HEW 2-3 animal technical officers last week on Monday 26th May.
Brad Buchan – After acting in the role to cover since Kendall’s departure, Brad Buchan has been formally appointed to the Senior Animal Technical Breeding Coordinator, starting Monday 10th May.
We still have a number of roles to complete recruitment steps for and are working hard on training and supporting those who are new to their positions.
Booking technical services – PPMS to be open again
We initially removed the ability for labs to book techncial services directly on PPMS in response to the COVID-19 shutdowns due to uncertainty around our technical services. However we now are able to open this up again starting from next week, and we hope that this will provide further clarity on the availability of services, and save some time in correspondance about technical services bookings. Please see instructions attached and they can also be found on the BRF Intranet page here.
Animal Welfare Symposium Thurs 13th May
The Australia New Zealand Laboratory Animal Association’s annual animal welfare symposium is being run virtually for the first time and will be livestreamed from the in-person event in Adelaide.
TRI BRF Gnotobiotics Coordinator Emily Duggan will be presenting at the gnotobiotics workshop – please see the full schedule attached.
The TRI Auditorium has been booked to show the symposium live to anyone interested in attending in person – the invitation has been extended to the BRF teams across UQBR and other Qld animal facilities. If you would like to receive access to a recording to view at another time, please contact the event organisers by emailing [email protected].
We also have approval to provide some catered morning tea and lunch so if you are planning to attend all/part of the day please rsvp to [email protected] and advise of any dietary requirements by Monday 10th May.
Please note the day is long (running on SA instead of QLD time too, be aware the time will be 30 mins later than in the schedule).
Health monitoring policy
Our comprehensive health monitoring policy, including the list of organisms excluded or tolerated within the animal colonies, has been in place for 2 years now. Over this time, the additional testing we have performed has provided further information on some minor organisms that are present in some areas, and the exclusion list (see page 6) has been updated to relfect that those agents are now tolerated in those animal rooms. The policy has been updated to reflect this and is attached for your consideration. If you have any questions or feedback at all please let us know.
