EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN ASSISTANT

 If you want to know more about experimental design and how to apply the EDA ( Experimental Design Assistant) developed by the NC3Rs please block your diary for 1 hour and and click on the active link. It has the endorsement of statisticians and might save you a lot of time in the long run.

Monday 27th of September- Free Webinar from the BJP

 Are you doing something on Monday the 27th at 11:00? If you are interested in the topics/speakers below:

BJP 75^th Anniversary Webinar: Guidelines for Research Reproducibility & Transparency

• Introduction – Amrita Ahluwalia
• Design & Analysis – Michael Curtis
• Natural products guidelines – Mauro Teixeira
• Sex as an experimental variable – Clare Stanford
• Preprints (and new preprints citation policy) – Chris George
• Q&A Session – chaired by Amrita Ahluwalia.

The link to the free webinar is this
https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4288708192780263695

REGULATORY UPDATE- AUGUST 21

 

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The HPRA in this issue of The August 2021 Regulatory Update provides a wealth of information, with several links that you can access. The complete document is available on NUIG BRU Sharepoint : LAPBRU-USERS > REFERENCES-SOPS 3RS > HPRA REGULATORY UPDATES. However this post will highlight the headings of the topics addressed in this update and the possible targeted audience, in case you feel overwhelmed with so many sources of information and you can pace yourself on what to address first. 

Therefore  the headings are:

1. Accounting for the Breeding of Genetically Altered Animals in Project Applications (Target Audience: Researchers Breeding GMOs).
2. ALURES EU Database(Target Audience: All) This database compiles all non technical projects summaries and allows to search and filter to get required information.
3. Reducing Cumulative and Severe Suffering (TA: All): This section includes a new web resource on severe suffering including a road map on suffering ; summary report of the 2020 RSPCA/UFAW rodent welfare group meeting and recommendations for cumulative endpoint and lifetime use for research animals.
4. Non-Animal Replacements for Training and education (TA: Lecturers that use animals to teach):Novel approach for neurosurgical training.
5. Evaluating and improving environmental enrichment (TA: All): highlighting resources on the NC3Rs, LASA/UFAW 3Rs section meeting 
6.  Self-assessment tools regarding 3Rs
7. Update on the functions of the AWB (TA: AWB) (Recorded webinar in YouTube and benchmarking Culture of Care.
8. HPRA-SAP staffing update
9. 3Rs Webinars and events (TA: All): (most linked in the links of interest section in this blog).
10. Useful Links (TA: Depending on topics):

10 FREE RESPONSIBLE RESEARCH SEMINARS

RESPONSIBLE RESEARCH WEBINARS

Did you know that there are now 10 FREE Responsible Research Webinarsavailable to view on-demand?

Instant access 24/7
These webinars provide instant access to expert speakers whenever you need them, wherever in the world you are. Plus all attendees receive a certificate of attendance for their CPD records.

Webinar titles include:

• An introduction to responsible research with Dr Nikki Osborne.
• How to plan animal studies well with Prof Adrian Smith.
• How to write research rigorously with author Ed Hull.
• Improving the reproducibility of cell line research with Lilia Kazemi-Egbunike.
• Guide to responsible animal research with Dr Nikki Osborne.
• Managing the responsible use of animal material in research with Dr Nikki Osborne.
• Guide to assessing the translational value of preclinical animal studies with Prof Kurinchi Gurusamy.
• Guide to identifying alternative non-animal methods from the scientific literature with Prof Wynand Alkema.
• Statistical guide to developing robust preclinical in vitro and in vivo assays with Katrina Gore.
• Returning to animal research: Guide to managing post-pandemic experimental variables with Dr Vootele Voikar.

We hope you enjoy these webinars! If you do then let us know and help us spread the word by sharing this information with others whom you think it may be of interest to.

Thank you HS for the information!!!

FILMS AND SLIDE SHOWS- RABBITS

 

We all know the Norecopa website and their useful and illustrative links.... though some times we just need quick snap shots or very short videos that puts things into perspective to make our life and that of our rabbits that bit easier!!!

Thank you EM for the link!

MORE CPD OPPORTUNITIES

...Please visit the site and remember to record as this will justify your CPD

https://www.jax.o

rg/education-and-learning/course-and-conferences/minicourses

INACTIVATE/ACTIVATE IAs with HPRA. How is the cost affected by date of reactivation?

 As reminder on how the dates of the activation of an inactive individual authorisation affect fees?  See HPRA comments:

If these researchers return to NUIG in 2021 and require authorisation again, they will be required to pay the standard fee (i.e. €295) when submitting their application for reactivation of individual authorisation. They would then be included in the maintenance fee for 2022 (if they remain active in 2022).

If however they don’t return until 2022 and apply for reactivation, they will pay their fee upon application, but will not be included in the invoice for the individual maintenance fee in 2022 as they will have already paid a fee in that year.

If these individuals reactivate their individual authorisation after 30^th June 2022 they will not have been included in the individual maintenance fee for either 2021 or 2022, but they will pay the fee for reactivation of their individual authorisation in 2022, and will be included in the individual maintenance fee for 2023, etc. (if they remain active in 2023, etc.).

HPRA MAY21 REGULATORY UPDATE

 In with the new out with the old!!! Yes, there are new forms and guides for project authorisations and NTS (Non technical summaries). The NTS is in excel format might take a little time to get use to and the EU database is expected to be accessible from July 2021 onwards. Note that Old NTS not in the excel format are no longer accepted by the HPRA from the 01 August 2021.

This latest regulatory update has a wealth os useful links and 3Rs webinar and events that will greatly contribute to completing your CPD.

Have a look here

BACK TO SCHOOL- CPD TIME!!!

 

CPD:

Hmmm...Yes you are right ...your study days are not over yet! So much to learn!!!...so little time!!!

As a reminder ......

• CPD stands for Continuous Professional Development.
• CPD is measured in credits.
• Minimum Credits required  8/year or 40/5 years.
• Equivalence 1 credit = 1 hour of learning/attending.
• How to record? 
• Use the last section of you training record to list them. 
• Keep certificates of attendance if provided, or 
• If not, record the title, the source, the date, the duration and the take home messages from the course, webinar, conference.
• Send it to your Training Officer if you are not included in a project. If you are, then upload all docs in the Training folder of you project on SharePoint. 

Links:

Summer School-EQIPD

Research Animal Training: RAT

AALAS

NC3Rs Webinars

USEFUL STATISTICAL REFERENCES

Are you struggling with the start of your animal studies...check these links below, though actual papers  and additional information can be found in your library in your Sharepoint library: LAPBRU-USERS > REFERENCES-SOPs-3Rs > 3Rs INFORMATION > STATISTICS-EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

For those needing extra references when dealing with statistics in in vivo research please see included some links:

Free to use statistical Software Package: InVivoStat

The practical alternative to the p-value is the correctly used p-value

G*Power: statistical power analysis

Calculating sample size

Calculating sample size for pilot studies

Pdf with information Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science

Experimental design for animal research

Inaccurate effect size estimators

HPRA REGULATORY UPDATE- FEBRUARY 2021

The HPRA Regulatory Update is OUT so please have a quick look. This issue covers:

1. Non-compliance trends 2020
2. Update on Sap Processes:NTPS guidance and changes in the submission process as well as an alert on additional Project purposes changes.
3. Administrative issues on submissions and requests to HPRA
4. Final reminder on statistical returns submission and a word stressing that the submissions must include actual severity experienced by animals over prospective. This might require several entries (rows) in the returns document, please include them.
5. CPD solutions and the expectation that researchers complete ETPLAS e-learning modules that can be found here https://etplas.eu
6. ECVAM  and other replacement options updates in in vitro cellular and developmental Biology are very good resources worth dedicating your time.
7. Other useful links on webinars, event, updates, wikis that makes this update a relevant and a very useful reading.

Complete update please check you LAPBRU-USERS library.

In this occasion, please focus your attention on the NTPS take home messages:

• From 01.01.2021 all NTPS must be completed using a EC Excel template.
• Since a EC draft guidance was not available, the SAP Team -HPRA generated a word document, currently available on their website.
• The SAP Team -HPRA will transfer the information in the word documents of the projects already submitted to the EC Excel template.
• The EC Excel template will be available mid-March 2021
• From 12-4-21 all NTPs will need to be submitted in this template.