Interest in gnotobiology has grown in recent years, and the scientific potential of these animal models is increasingly appreciated. Although the pandemic has temporarily impacted this field, to date many laboratories are ready to restart, equipping and reorganizing to set up units dedicated to gnotobiotic or germ-free animals.
The Modern Gnotobiology International Symposium aims to give a wide overview about current scientific trends and facility management, and support the networking of facility managers, researchers, and trained technicians interested in germ-free and gnotobiotic applications.
The Symposium features a mix of keynote presentations, and interactive sessions on scientific aspects and related best practices in gnotobiotic facilities, ranging from room setup, the development of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and the training of the operators. The course will focus on the key aspects of the microbiota of laboratory rodents. The speakers will provide practical information on how to approach, manage and monitor all these aspects.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
Facility managers, technicians and researchers who wish to start working with Gnotobiotic animals, but also who work already in the field but want to have an overview on different approaches performed worldwide.
The symposium offers in-depth scientific presentations by leading global experts, covering the entire spectrum of the facility management and scientific trends.
The Modern Gnotobiology International Symposium will start on November 15th 2023 late afteroon and will finish on November 17th 2023 early afternoon, and it will cover a range of core topics: *
SETTING UP A GNOTOBIOTIC FACILITY
Housing and husbandry of gnotobiotic mice, organizational and technological aspects.
Where do I start? Setting up a facility from scratch
Data collection and management in a gnotobiotic setting
HOW TO OBTAIN GERM FREE ANIMALS AND THEIR MICROBIOLOGICAL MONITORING
Rederivation and Embryo Transfer
Approach and organization of the microbiological monitoring plan in a production and research centre of gnotobiotic mice
ROLE AND IMPORTANCE OF THE SOPs IN MANAGING A GNOTOBIOTIC UNIT
Gnotobiotic units: adapt your procedures when the environment is against you!
Implementation of aseptic and antiseptic procedures in a germ -free mice unit
SCIENTIFIC TRENDS
Top trends in Gnotobiology
Relation between research and choice of equipment
TRAINING OF THE STAFF AND THE RESEARCHERS
Gnotobiotic research: the training of scientific staff
* FINAL AND DETAILED PROGRAM WILL BE SHARED WITH THE PARTECIPANTS WITHIN THE END OF JUNE
The Symposium will be held by a panel of international leaders in the Gnotobiotic Community.
Moderator: Kathy McCoy
Dr. Kathy McCoy is a Professor in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, member of the Snyder Institute, Scientific Director of the International Microbiome Center, and holds the Killam Memorial Chair at the University of Calgary, Canada.
Her research group uses germ-free and gnotobiotic models to investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which the microbiome regulates host immunity and physiology. She is particularly interested in the dynamic interplay between the gut microbiota and the innate and adaptive immune systems.
Her research aims to understand how exposure to intestinal microbes, particularly during early life, educates and regulates the mucosal, systemic and neuronal immune systems and how this can affect susceptibility to diseases, such as allergy, autoimmunity, and neurodevelopmental disorders. Her lab also investigates how the microbiome regulates the immune system throughout life with the aim to identify microbial therapies that can be employed to enhance current therapeutic approaches, such as in cancer.
Robert W. Engelman
Robert W. Engelman, D.V.M., Ph.D. is an Associate Vice President of Research & Innovation, a Professor of Pediatrics, Pathology & Cell Biology, and the directing veterinarian of Comparative Medicine serving the NCI Comprehensive H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, and the James A. Haley VA Medical Center.
He received his D.V.M. in 1982, his Ph.D. in Veterinary Pathology in 1985, and his Fellowship in Cancer Immunology in 1986. He is a member of the American Association for Cancer Research, the American Association of Immunologists, and the American Society of Investigative Pathologists.
Jessica Lang
Jessica has been managing a fee-for-service Gnotobiotic Core Facility (GCF) at Harvard Medical School since its inception in May of 2022.
Jessica has over 14 years of professional experience working in the gnotobiotics field. Previously, she worked at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health where she established their gnotobiotics operation. She started her career in the field as a husbandry technician at the University of Miami, where she then progressed to become a research associate in a lab where she first received training in gnotobiotics, ultimately being responsible for the day-to-day maintenance of a gnotobiotic facility.
Jessica has significant skills in the field of gnotobiotics, including successful derivation of germ-free mice and husbandry techniques for maintaining mice in sterile isolators. In addition, she has extensive knowledge of sterile techniques, experimental design and protocols for establishing gnotobiotic facilities (which she has completed on three occasions).
Jessica oversees the operation and management of the Gnotobiotic Core Facility at Harvard, and has established all necessary Standard Operating Procedures with an emphasis on quality control and strict maintenance of isolator sterility. She also serves on Harvard’s
Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, as she is passionate about animal welfare.
Outside of work, Jessica is an avid reader, journals daily, and is a self-described geek.
Allison Rogala
Allison Rogala, DVM, DACLAM is an assistant professor and clinical veterinarian at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she is co-director of the National Gnotobiotic Rodent Resource Center (NGRRC).
The NGRRC is one of the largest gnotobiotic centers in the United States and receives grant funding from multiple sources to provide training, germ-free rederivation services, distribution of germ-free mice, and gnotobiotic research support and services. In addition to providing oversight and support of each of these aims, Dr. Rogala’s research interests include the influence of host genes and environmental factors on mouse models of intestinal disease.
Beyond gnotobiotics, she oversees the Rodent Health Surveillance Program and is responsible for veterinary care of large populations of genetically-modified and humanized mouse models as well as zebrafish, amphibians, and sea turtles.
Marion Berard
Marion Berard is Veterinarian and Deputy Head of the Central Animal Facility of the Institut Pasteur.
She is the Head of the Centre for Gnotobiology, the Technical-Assistance, and of the team in charge of the microbiological and genetic quality control of the rodents, rabbits and quails housed in the Institut Pasteur’s animal facilities. She is also the scientific secretary of the CETEA (Comité d’Ethique en Expérimentation Animale) of the Institut Pasteur.
She received her D.V.M. degree from the National Veterinary School of Lyon (1994), her PhD in Immunology and her degree in Industrial Management from the University of Lyon (2000), and a degree in valorisation of the biomedical research from Paris University (2018).
After her PhD at the National Institute for Health and Medical Research (INSERM U404, Lyon, 1995-2000), she joined The Edward Jenner Institute for Vaccine Research as a postdoctoral fellow (Compton, England, 2000-2002).
She was then recruited as one of the managers of the animal facilities of the Institut Pasteur (Paris, France, 2002-2006). There, she also initiated and led the project aimed at characterizing laboratory rodents’ flora in collaboration with Charles River Laboratories. From 2006 to 2008, she worked for Charles River Laboratories, where she was Biosecurity Manager for France and Belgium, and Veterinary & Scientific Manager for Research Animal Diagnostic Services Europe. In 2008, she returned to Institut Pasteur.
Joana Bom
Joana Bom, Axenic/Gnotobiology and Mouse Facility Manager at Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras/Portugal.
Joana is the Manager of the Axenic/Gnotobiology services since 2009 with a complete experience in maintenance of germ-free/axenic mouse colonies, and all the skills involved in its production, gnotobiology projects and staff.
Responsible for Research and Development for Axenic and Gnotobiology equipment, techniques, and protocols. Since 2014 also the Mouse Facility Manager, coordinating of all the services provided: Assisted reproduction and Cryopreservation Services (re-derivations, in vitro fertilization and cryopreservation of mouse embryos and sperm), Colony management, and Importation/ exportation of live animals and cryopreserved samples. Management of all the Staff of the Mouse Facility (Technicians and Animal Care Technicians), under the supervision of the Head of the Model Organisms Facility/platform.
Mercedes Gomez de Agüero
Mercedes Gomez de Agüero is junior group leader at the University of Würzburg at the Institute of Systems Immunology (Max Planck Research Group) since 2019.
Mercedes Gomez de Aguero studied Biology (Madrid-Spain and Lyon-France) and received her PhD in Immunology in Lyon (France). During her post-doctorate under the supervision of Prof. Macpherson and Prof. McCoy, Mercedes acquired in-depth knowledge in gnotobiotic research. In parallel to her work as junior PI, Mercedes scientifically manage the gnotobiotic facility at the University of Bern. As an independent researcher, Mercedes is dedicated to the study of host-microbial interactions, focusing particularly on early life and tissue-barrier function.
The major findings of Mercedes have allowed redefining the mechanisms of immune tolerance to environmental factors. On the one hand, Mercedes redefined the contribution of skin and intestinal immune sentinels, dendritic cells, in cutaneous and intestinal immune tolerance. In the other hand, Mercedes showed for the first time, that metabolites produced by the maternal microbiota have major impact for the development of the tissue barrier of the embryo, optimizing its function and its resistance to infections after birth.
Emily Duggan
Emily Duggan has over 20 years’ experience working in the medical research industry based at the University of Queensland in Australia and Translational Research Institute.
Since late 2016 Emily has been the Senior Gnotobiotic Facility Coordinator for the Translational Research Institute’s Gnotobiotic Facility. Starting with a small pilot facility running just two germ-free isolators, Emily and her team expanded the capability to a full-service facility running 28 isolators and 76 positive pressure experimental cages. The TRI Gnotobiotic facility is now the largest of its kind in Australia specialising in converting standard mice experimental models into a germ-free/gnotobiotic setting providing services to both internal TRI researchers and external clients both locally and across Australia.
Prior to working in Gnotobiotics, Emily spent 5 years working in research laboratories on cancer and immunology projects. She also spent 10+ years working in research administration and was the imports/exports officer for the University of Queensland Biological Resources department. Since June 2022, Emily has been the acting Core Facilities Manager for the Translational Research Institute.
This Symposium is limited to a maximum of 30 participants * to foster interactions and networking. * The event will be confirmed upon reaching the minimum number of 15 participants, in any case no later than June 16th
FEES:
EARLY REGISTRATION € 650,00 – for registration received before 15th June 2023
STANDARD REGISTRATION € 850,00 – for registration received from 16th June 2023
Upon completion of the online registration process, you will be contacted at the email address provided to finalize the payment, which must be made by bank transfer** no later than 30 days from the date of registration.
Online registration does not guarantee participation in the event, the registration will be confirmed upon receipt of payment.
REFUND POLICY:
Registrations cancelled before 15 June 2023 will be refunded 50% of the registration fee paid; cancellations received as of 16 June 2023 and no-shows will not be refunded. All cancellations must be sent in writing to the Secretariat at info-event@tecniplast.it
SUBSTITUTION POLICY:
Those people registered and later unable to attend the Symposium may use the fees already paid to send someone in their place. Written notification must be sent to the Secretariat at info-event@tecniplast.it by 15 September 2023.
From the congress center, in 15 mins by car you can easily reach Varese, the garden city.
The characteristic appellation garden city derives from the numerous parks and gardens found within the municipality, mostly belonging to villas built there between the 18th century and the beginning of the 20th century.
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