Dedicated to the advancement of responsible care and use of laboratory animals for the benefit of human and animal health
Created to give all branches in our district a voice and provide a place to share resources amongst the branches of the largest AALAS district
2024 District 8 Annual Meeting - Seattle, WA
2024 District 8 AALAS Meeting
The Northern Rocky Mountain, Oregon, and Washington AALAS branches are proud to host
the 2024 D8 meeting April 22-24 in Seattle, Washington!
Mark your calendars and plan to attend D8 Caring toward Cures meeting
at the Sheraton Grand Hotel Downtown Seattle!
Print and post our flyer for early registration
Register now: https://18535.ezfacility.com/
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Registration after March 15th – April 12th $320 branch member |
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Keynote speaker: Dr. Jeff Meldrum, Idaho State University - Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science
Dr. Jeff Meldrum is a Full Professor of Anatomy & Anthropology at Idaho State University. He teaches human anatomy in the graduate health professions programs. His research encompasses questions of vertebrate evolutionary morphology generally, primate locomotor adaptations more particularly, and especially the emergence of modern human bipedalism. His co-edited volume, From Biped to Strider: the Emergence of Modern Human Walking, Running, and Resource Transport, proposes a more recent innovation of modern striding gait than previously assumed. His interest in the footprints attributed to sasquatch, was piqued when he examined a set of 15-inch tracks in Washington, in 1996. Now his lab houses well over 300 footprint casts attributed to this mystery primate. He is author of Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science which explores his and other scientists’ evaluations of the contemporary evidence, and also affords deference to tribal people’s traditional knowledge of this subject.
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The registration desk will be open at 8 am on Monday morning to pick up your badge. The Exhibitor/Vendor registration desk will be open Monday at noon.
MEETING AGENDA - Schedule is under construction check back later for updates
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Exhibit
or Registration Open Now
Register Now: https://18535.ezfacility.com/login?SmuFormId=13A73785-BE7C-432D-903D-471...
Exhibitor Levels - Four exhibitor levels are being offered. Please review the levels below and the perks included for each level. Go to registration for more information.
Exhibitor Sponsorship Opportunities - Please consider these sponsorship opportunities! Sponsors will be recognized with a placard for/at the specific event as well as notated on a page in the Event's Program.
- Tote Bags Sponsor - Your company will donate bags for attendees
- Lanyard Sponsor - Your company will donate lanyards for attendees (quantity TBD)
- AV Sponsor - Your company will have a rolling logo on screen - $250
- Break Sponsors - Your company will be recognized as a Break Sponsor, 2 companies per break (3 breaks) - $300
- Program Sponsor - Your company will be recognized as a Program Sponsor, highlighted in the program - $400
- Poster Session Sponsor - Your company will be recognized as a Poster Sponsor - $500
- Workshop Sponsor - Your company will be recognized as a Workshop Sponsor - $500
- Welcome Reception Sponsor - Your company will be recognized as a Welcome Reception Sponsor - $600
- Lunch Sponsor - Your company will be recognized as a Lunch Sponsor, 2 companies per lunch - $700
- AV during lunch - Your company will be recognized as an AV Sponsor, 5-minute presentation during lunch - $1000
- Keynote Speaker Sponsor - Sponsor this year's Keynote speaker - $1500
- D8 Meeting Vendor Raffle: Donate items for raffle event for attendees
- Items for Event Tote Bags: Donate items for attendee event tote bag (vendor pens, pads, etc.
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Register now: https://18535.ezfacility.com/
You will be registering for one day or for the full conference and if you will attend the welcome reception. The full conference runs from April 22nd - 24th:
April 22, Monday: Welcome reception, workshops, and local activity
April 23, Tuesday: Speakers, workshops, and local activity
April 24, Wednesday: Speakers and workshops
$10 - Attend the welcome reception
$10 - Purchase a conference T-shirt
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Workshops
Workshops will be filled on a first come first serve basis. Transportation to and from workshops will be provided for workshops not being held at the Sheraton Grand Hotel. When choosing workshops to attend, please note the workshops times and that several occur at the same time.
Workshop #1: Refined Handling - Monday April 22nd, 9am-1pm
Cost: $50
Location: University of Washington (Health Sciences Building)
Transportation: Transportation via Light Rail provided from Westlake Station to University Washington Station.
Agenda: Refined rodent handling, including both tunnel handling and cupping techniques, has been shown to have both scientific and welfare benefits. Attendees will be provided with didactic instruction regarding these techniques, strategies for implementation at their home institution, and tips for how to train others on the techniques. Following this instructional session, attendees will then be given the opportunity to practice various restraint techniques on live animals. Ultimately, attendees will be given a guided tour of our small and large animal vivaria, including conventional rodents, the gnotobiotic core, aquatics, avian, canine, rabbit, swine, and ferret areas (time permitting). Registrants will be contacted prior to the workshop for documentation of health clearance and acknowledgement of allergen exposure.
Workshop #2: Zebrafish Husbandry Workshop - Monday April 22nd, 9am-1pm
Cost: $100
Location: Seattle Children's Research Institute
Transportation: Attendees will take a short walk (0.5 miles) from Sheraton Grand Hotel at 8:45am
Agenda: In this workshop, attendees will deep dive into advanced techniques of zebrafish husbandry including in vitro fertilization, microinjection, and fin clips. This workshop will provide hands-on training and instruction from staff at Seattle Children’s Research Institute.
Workshop #3: SCRI Building Cure Animal Research Facility Tours - Tuesday April 23rd at 2pm or Wednesday April 24th at 1:35pm, 90 minutes
Cost: Free
Two sessions available:
Location: Seattle Children's Research Institute
Transportation: Attendees will take a short walk (0.5 miles) from Sheraton Grand Hotel 15 minutes before tour start times
Agenda: Tours of the state of the art Building Cure Vivarium. Attendees will tour the 32,000 sq ft facility which houses small and large animal studies (mice, rats, rabbits, and pigs) for the Center for Immunology and Immunotherapy and Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research. Attendees will see a working demonstration of the BetterBuilt Vaccuum Bedding System, Hydropac System, Allentown NextGen caging system, and Avidity Recirculating Automatic Watering System, and Large Animal Surgery Suite.
Workshop #4: LAS Pro Workshop - Tuesday April 23rd, 10:35am-12:30pm
Cost: Free
Location: Sheraton Grand Hotel
Agenda: This workshop is intended for anyone who has knowledge to share with the wider lab animal community! Have an improvement project that you recently completed which advances the care of lab animals, brings operational efficiency or leads to cost savings in your program? Write it up! AALAS delivers information through the engaging format of Laboratory Animal Science Professional (LAS Pro), a bimonthly magazine filled with reliable, practical information, including the latest developments and strategies in laboratory animal science, such as management, professional development, occupational health and safety, facility design, technologies, and much more.
In this workshop you will meet and be mentored by two local LAS Pro Editorial Board members on how to submit an article for publication taking the great work you are already doing into publication for others to learn and benefit from. Attendees will find the workshop most helpful if they come with topics or projects they want to write about already in mind.
Workshop #5: Mini Leadership Academy - Tuesday April 23rd, 10:35am-3:25pm
Cost: Free
Location: Sheraton Grand Hotel
Agenda: Do you want to develop your leadership skills and learn more about volunteerism in the AALAS community? Come and join us for a workshop at the District 8 Meeting this year facilitated by leaders in the field who want to share their experiences with you and support you on the path to leadership. This is an interactive workshop where attendees will be introduced to different leadership styles, learn about the benefits of volunteerism, and receive information on the AALAS structure. Don't miss the chance to join in this workshop! Workshop is free with Meeting Registration but spaces are limited so sign up today to secure your spot.
Workshop #6: Designing for Impact: Scientific Posters With Pizzaz - Tuesday April 23rd, 4:30-5:30pm
Cost: Free
Location: Sheraton Grand Hotel
Agenda: Scientific posters are commonly used in conferences, symposiums and other academic events as a means for researchers to share their work with a broader audience. This workshop with outline key elements of creating and designing a scientific poster. We will have a hands-on approach to creating your future masterpiece.
Workshop #7: ALAT/LAT Prep Workshop - Wednesday April 24th, 8:05am-12pm
Cost: $75
Location: Sheraton Grand Hotel
Agenda: Get insights and learn techniques for taking the ALAT/LAT tests.
Note - A confirmation message will be sent to your email address, please make sure the email address is entered correctly.
Cancellation and Refund Policy: Registrations are not transferrable. Requests for refunds must be submitted in writing 30 days prior to the start of the 2024 District 8 Meeting. A processing fee of 7% plus $3.50 will be withheld. Requests for refunds submitted in writing less than 30 days prior to the start of the 2024 District 8 Meeting will be considered by the District 8 Planning Committee on an individual basis. Please allow up to 30 days for any refund to be processed.
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Location: Sheraton Grand Seattle - 1400 6th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101 - https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/seasi-sheraton-grand-seattle/overview/
The meeting runs from Monday at 9 am with workshops and concludes on Wednesday at 3 pm
If you need accommodations in Seattle for this event, we encourage you to stay at the Sheraton Grand Seattle and identifying yourself as part of WBAALAS District 8 2024 Conference Apr2024 when you make your reservations. Please do your best to stay at the Sheraton Grand Seattle as we need to meet our quota for the meeting. Rates will be available 3 days prior and 3 days after the meeting: Traditional Single/Double - $239.00, Occupancy tax, 15.7%, and $4.00 per room per night tourism assessment fee at check out. Additional Person $25.00.
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We are excited to see everyone who is joining us. Below are instructions about transportation options while in Seattle.
Transit Options from the Airport to the Sheraton Grand Hotel Downtown
The Sheraton Grand Hotel is approximately 15 miles from the airport. Traffic in the area can be very heavy depending on the time of day so travel times can vary considerably. There are a variety of public transportation options available for those who choose not to drive.
Link Light Rail (Line 1): There is a light rail station within the parking garage at the airport. From your gate, proceed to baggage claim and then up the stairs to the sky bridge into the parking garage. Follow the signs to the Link light rail from the parking garage (less than a 10-minute walk). From SeaTac, take the train northbound (toward Northgate) and disembark at Westlake Station. Within Westlake Station, follow signs to the B exits, and walk to the Sheraton Grand (~7 minute walk). You can purchase light rail tickets at the station or from the Transit Go app. A one-way adult fare is $3.00. The train departs the airport toward Westlake every 8-15 minutes from approximately 5 am to midnight. Check the online schedule www.soundtransit.org to confirm available times for your travel dates.
Uber, Lyft, taxi, and other rideshare services are readily available from SeaTac without reservations. Fares will vary depending on the time of day but are generally $40-$60 each way. During heavy traffic times, travel times (and costs) can increase significantly.
A variety of rental car services are available within and around SeaTac. Parking is available at the hotel at the rate of $65 per night. There is a parking garage at the US Bank Centre garage across the street from the Sheraton for $35 a day but is closed from 10 pm to 6 am so cars can't leave at that time.
From the hotel, there are several restaurants, cafes, and tourist attractions within walking distance. There are also many public transit options for those wishing to explore more of Seattle. The Link (light rail) and Seattle Monorail both utilize Westlake Station, and public buses are free in the downtown area.
Local Activities
Two local activities will be held so you can see Seattle and network with colleagues. Please select if you will attend one or both of the local activities.
Monday April 22nd, 1:30-4pm: Seattle Aquarium
Visit the Seattle Aquarium!
Minimum 20 registrants are needed for this event. If less than 20 people sign up, the Seattle Aquarium event will be cancelled and you will be refunded.
Tuesday April 23rd, 5:30-7pm: Underground Tour
Bill Speidel's Underground Tour is Seattle's most unusual attraction, a humorous stroll through intriguing subterranean storefronts and sidewalks entombed when the city rebuilt on top of itself after the Great Fire of 1889. The 75-minutes guided walking tour begins beneath Doc Maynard's Public House, then spills into historic Pioneer Square, Seattle's birthplace, before plunging unground for an exclusive, time-capsule view of the buried city!
Interested in attending the local activities or purchasing a conference T-shirt, but your company won't pay for them? A separate Conference Add-On form is available to purchase these with your own personal form of payment: https://18535.ezfacility.com/login?SmuFormId=2A3C2A8C-6D04-4CBE-9CFB-E788EE8EDA91
The AALAS District 8 holds an annual educational meeting in the spring of each year. The meeting is rotated between the Branches to allow for greater participation by the local Branch members. Each annual meeting is a three day event running from the opening activities on Wednesday afternoon through the conclusion of the educational presentations on Friday afternoon.
The Branches of District 8 entered into a cooperative agreement with the formation of the District 8 Council whose sole charge is to support, promote, and insure continuation of the annual District 8 meeting and to provide the best meeting for our members.
The current District 8 zones:
- Northwest: Northern Rocky Mountain, Oregon, & Washington
- Capitol Bay Area: Sacramento Valley, & Northern California
- Desert: Mountain West & Arizona
- South Pacific: Southern California, & San Diego
The current District 8 Meeting schedule is:
2024 – Northwest (Northern Rocky Mtn., Oregon, Washington) - Seattle, WA - April 22-24
2025 - National AALAS Meeting - Long Beach, CA - November 9-13
2026 - Capitol Bay Sacramento Valley, Northern California
2027 - Desert (Mountain West & Arizona)