The LASt Word: An AALAS Podcast

For years, single housing male mice has been widely accepted as standard practice, but emerging research suggests it may be time to rethink that assumption. In this episode, Jennifer Smith is joined by Dr. Jennifer Kylie, Senior Staff Veterinarian at Charles River Laboratories, to discuss her recent JAALAS paper, 'Social Housing of Male CD-1 Mice (Mus musculus) in the Toxicological Setting: A 28-D...

Small operational changes can have a major impact on both sustainability and animal care. In this episode, we are joined by Alyssa Valentyn, Supervisor of Vivarium Services at Eisai, US, to discuss her recent JAALAS paper, 'Extended Sanitization Frequency for Bottles: Using Volume as an Alternative to Time-Scheduled Replacements for Mice in Disposable Individually Ventilated Caging Systems.' Alyss...

In this episode of The LASt Word podcast, Jennifer Smith is joined by Dr. Mia Rough, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, and Dr. Michael Nader, Professor and Co-Director of the Center of Addiction Research at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, to discuss their recent JAALAS paper, 'Longevity and Catheter-Related Infection Rates in Nonhuman Primates with Chronic Indwelling Intravenous Catheters...

What happens when you switch to environmental health monitoring and uncover a pathogen you have never seen? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Lauren Habenicht, Senior Clinical Veterinarian and Associate Professor of Pathology at the University of Colorado Anschutz, to unpack the real-world realities of detecting and responding to Pneumocystis murina . In our conversation, Dr. Habenicht shares...

What really happens to a pig ' s bloodwork once under anesthesia, and how much do those changes matter for your studies? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. McKayla Carlson, clinical veterinarian at Nationwide Children ' s Hospital, to unpack her recent paper, 'Effect of Anesthesia on Hematologic Parameters of Female Domestic Swine.' First, Dr. Carlson shares her path into laboratory animal medi...

Refinement starts before the experiment! In this episode of The Last Word podcast, Dr. Reid Landes, Professor of Biostatistics at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, discusses his paper 'More Power for Less Money: Statistical, Power, and Cost Analyses That Account for Intracluster Correlation in Experiments with Same-Group Cage Mates'. Dr. Landes explains why accounting for intraclust...

How do researchers ensure the most humane approach is taken when working with neonatal mice? In this episode, Dr. Ning-Kit (Kit) Tang, clinical veterinarian at the University of California, San Francisco, shares insights from her JAALAS paper, Hypothermia as a Sole Euthanasia Method for Neonatal Mice. Her paper explores whether prolonged cold exposure can serve as a humane and effective euthanasia...

Are common laboratory doses of carprofen suitable for marmosets? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Ekaterina Perminov, DVM, DACLAM   to discuss her latest research on whether carprofen, a commonly used NSAID for pain relief, reaches effective levels in marmosets and the possible adverse side effects. Dr. Perminov is a Clinical Veterinarian at UC Irvine. She obtained her veterinary degree from...

AI isn't just shaping the future of medicine; it's transforming how we care for research animals and run vivarium operations! In this episode, we are joined by the VP of university-wide core services at Rutgers University, Jeetendra Eswaraka (BVS, PhD, DACLAM, DECLAM), to discuss his recent JAALAS paper, 'Using Machine Learning and Predictive Artificial Intelligence to Determine Cage Change Freque...

New agents in veterinary anesthesia are changing the game. In this episode, we explore Grapiprant, a groundbreaking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) from the newer piprant class. We are joined by Dr. Lauren Wierenga, DVM, a staff veterinarian at Northern Bio. With a veterinary degree from the University of Wisconsin and lab animal residency training from the Wisconsin National Primate R...

We are privileged to welcome a dynamic duo who have made their mark on animal laboratory sciences since 1998. Dr. Melvin Balk (Mel) and his wife, Judy Balk, join us as the Executive Director of the American College of Laboratory Medicine (ACLAM) and Library Director Emeritus, respectively. Mel begins with who he was before ACLAM and meeting Judy. Then, we learn how love at first sight manifests, h...

What if your health monitoring program could be more effective and more efficient? In this episode of The LASt Word, Dr. Wai H. Hanson, DVM, PhD, DACLAM, joins us to unpack her recently accepted JAALAS paper, 'Guidance on Establishing Health Monitoring Panels for Laboratory Mice to Reflect Contemporary Pathogen Prevalence'. Dr. Hanson shares how her entry into the field coincided with the rise of...

Could a "thankless job" be one of the most vital roles in saving lives? In this episode of The LASt Word, we're joined by Leander Mallard, Cage Wash Manager at St. Jude Children ' s Research Hospital, who reveals the profound impact of his work and team, transforming what might seem like humble beginnings into a powerful force for scientific advancement. Leander shares his unique journey into labo...

Effective pain management in research animals is both an ethical imperative and a scientific necessity. In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Kasra Pouriani and Dr. Niora Fabian from MIT's Division of Comparative Medicine to discuss their recent research comparing extended-release buprenorphine formulations for perioperative pain management in common marmosets. Together, they walk us through their...

Ketamine is an under-studied option for analgesic anesthesia. During this episode, we learn more about it from Dr. Rachael Alionhart, a Clinical Veterinarian with the Department of Comparative Medicine at the Oregon Health & Science University. Rachael recently completed her lab animal training program and has a DVM and MS from the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. She jo...

Choosing the right pain test in laboratory animal research isn ' t just about the science. It ' s about understanding your tools, your models, and even your own comfort level. In this episode of The LASt Word, we welcome Dr. James McNew, Clinical Veterinarian at Baylor College of Medicine, to share insights from his JAALAS paper 'Comparison of Thermal and Mechanical Pain Testing Modalities in Spra...

There are loads of factors involved in anesthetizing pigs and in this episode of The LASt Word Podcast, we are talking about volatile anesthesia porcine stress syndrome in pigs. Today we are joined by an assistant professor at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Dr. Jimmy Corrigan, to discuss his most recent publication, 'The Incidence of Volatile Anaesthesia Porcine Stress S...

The beauty of research is that you not only manage to answer the questions you set out to but you are also presented with the opportunity to answer questions you discover along the way. Today, we are joined by Dr. Abigail Michelson, a third-year resident in laboratory animal medicine with a special interest in primates and rabbits. We discuss her recent research project that attempted to evaluate...

Consistency and minimizing stressors are imperative to any research study! Today on the LASt Word Podcast, instructor and clinical veterinarian at Tulane National Primate Research Centre, Dr. Adam K. Myers (DVM, LATG) joins us to discuss his latest paper, 'Evaluating Outcomes of Diazepam Administration in Gradual Steps Introductions of Adult Male and Female Rhesus Macaques'. Tuning in, you'll hear...

Today we look closely at an essential educational program here at AALAS, the Institute for Laboratory Animal Management or ILAM. We are joined by the ILAM Class President for 2025, Perry Spires, a veteran Sales Specialist with over 20 years of experience at Hilltop Lab Animals, Inc. while boasting a BSc in Education. Perry begins with his job at Hilltop and how he uses his teaching experience in h...

Chiara Hampton, DVM, MS, DACVAA, is deeply committed to advancing research in porcine anesthesia and analgesia, a field of laboratory animal medicine that has lagged behind others. Serving as an assistant professor of anesthesiology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville ' s Veterinary School, Dr. Hampton's research focuses on evidence-based practices to improve swine patient care, including co...

Leadership in laboratory animal science requires vision, adaptability, and a commitment to progress. Today, host Jennifer C. Smith sits down with Dr. James Macy, current AALAS president and director of the Animal Resources Center at Yale University. Dr. Macy shares his unique journey, from an early interest in veterinary medicine to becoming a key figure in lab animal science. He discusses his day...

Disinfectants play a crucial role in reducing contamination during lab animal handling, but how effective are they? In this episode, host Jennifer Smith speaks with Dr. Julia Smachlo, a clinical veterinarian at Biomere in Worcester, Massachusetts, to discuss her recent research into this question. Julia shares insights from her paper, 'Evaluation of the Efficacy of Disinfectants in Reducing Contam...

What can mole-rats teach us about aging, genetics, and biomedical research? Joining us today is Dr. Rochelle Buffenstein, a comparative biologist and Research Professor at the University of Illinois Chicago. With a PhD from the University of Cape Town and decades of experience, Dr. Buffenstein has pioneered the use of mole-rats as models for groundbreaking research in aging and physiology. Her lat...

In this episode of the LASt Word (an AALAS podcast) we were joined by Alexis Skurnack and Dr. Shawn Lane. Alexis Skurnack is a Software Quality Assurance Analyst. She holds a BS degree in Agriculture and Natural Resources Ecology and Wildlife Management and is an experienced ALAT. Her research interests include ornithology, animal behavior, evolution, conservation, and wildlife management.  She pr...