ANZLAA 2024, held at the Adelaide Convention Centre, celebrated the exceptional contributions of the Australian and New Zealand laboratory animal science community, including several Phenomics Australia nodes.
This year’s event emphasised local talent and culture, creating a vibrant space for attendees and their teams to exchange knowledge, ideas, and experiences. The theme, Tomorrow Together: Building a Culture of Collaboration, underscored ANZLAA’s commitment to highlighting the diverse achievements across small, medium, and large enterprises in both land- and water-based fields.
Phenomics Australia Scientific Director Prof. Paul Thomas, head of the South Australian Genome Editing (SAGE) facility at SAHMRI gave a presentation at the ANZLAA conference: “Engineering infertility: Developing CRISPR gene drives for feral rodent population suppression” and was also on a panel discussion “The Evolving Role of Animal Research in Science: Expert Perspectives on Challenges and Breakthroughs”.
Ms Melissa White Manager of SAGE’s facility also spoke about “Zygosity Matters: Balancing CRISPR Editing Efficiency with Preservation of Wild-Type Gene Function in Essential Genes”.
Phenomics Australia’s Australian Phenome Bank (APB) and the Australian Phenomics Facility (APF) teams had an incredible experience hosting a booth at the conference, where the energy and interest from attendees were nonstop!
Visitors from various industries stopped by to learn more details on our services, prices, working processes, and more! engaging in conversations about how our solutions could support their goals. It was a fantastic opportunity to connect, showcase our expertise, and gain valuable insights directly from our audience.
The program covered a broad range of topics essential to the community’s growth, including:
- Safety & Compliance: Addressing the dynamic governance landscape and legislative requirements, underscoring the importance of staying compliant and safe.
- Innovation: Featuring new processes and the drive for continual improvement, demonstrating how innovation underpins scientific advancement.
- Future Trends: Exploring anticipated industry shifts, enabling teams to plan effectively and stay ahead.
- Communication & Support: Highlighting the value of strong communication for fostering teamwork and improving animal interactions, with a focus on support for managers, staff, and students.
- Culture & Community: Shining a spotlight on the global impact of Australian and New Zealand scientists, celebrating local successes and the contributions of animal support teams.
- Quality: Emphasizing the importance of quality staff and processes in advancing scientific endeavours.
- Collaboration: Encouraging knowledge sharing and learning as the backbone of successful facility operations.
- Social Responsibility: Addressing public interest in animal research and promoting awareness of the rigorous standards upheld in the industry.
- Welfare: Prioritizing animal and staff welfare as a fundamental aspect of the community’s culture of care.
ANZLAA 2024 showcased a shared dedication to understanding and preserving the environments that shape our world, celebrating an enduring commitment to quality, innovation, and welfare.