Rapid Response by Laboratory Animal Research Institutions During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons Learned Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief (2021) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
Rapid Response by Laboratory Animal Research Institutions During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons Learned: Proceedings of a Workshop - in Brief
Rapid Response by Laboratory Animal Research Institutions During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons Learned: Proceedings of a Workshop - in Brief
Pages 1-10
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 1... ...
The aim of this workshop was to discuss institutional challenges and strategies for addressing them to provide guidance to the broader community for the ongoing pandemic and inform a rapid and sustainable response framework for future pandemics.1 Expert scientists conducting COVID-19 research, as well as institutional leadership responsible for oversight in areas such as, veterinary medical care, occupational health, risk assessment and biosafety, and public messaging and communications presented and participated in panel discussions. Topics included: rapidly developing and maintaining new animal models to support pandemic response efforts; ramping up research resources against a backdrop of supply line disruptions and resource shortages; protecting research and support staff while maintaining research operations during the pandemic; communicating updates and policies both within each organization and to the public; and developing strategies to accelerate COVID-19 researchrelated activities given the urgent need for emergency response for people, as well as other species potentially vulnerable to the virus.2 SESSION 1: KEYNOTE SPEAKER AND SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND TO MEETING Dr.
|
From page 2... ...
can serve as crucial bridges between animal models and clinical trials, animal model studies remain the fastest and most reliable way to predict clinical safety and effectiveness of novel therapeutics and vaccines. Animal models therefore remain an indispensable component of efforts to prepare for and respond to pathogens with pandemic potential.
|
From page 3... ...
Other factors included: air transport restrictions caused by decreases in passenger flights; use of cargo space for transport of emergency supplies and cost increases for cargo shipments and the use of charters; increases in the global demand for the limited NHP supply; uncertainty about which species of NHP were most appropriate for SARS-CoV-2 research; fears of inadvertently shipping NHPs that were infected with SARS-CoV-2; and cost increases from suppliers during 2020. Strategies to help ensure adequate NHP supplies during future pandemics might include diversifying sources of NHPs for research, increasing domestic breeding of NHPs within the United States, expanding NHP carriers to overcome transportation challenges, coordinating research groups and NHP suppliers to identify and reserve as early as possible those NHP species or strains that are most relevant for studying an emerging pathogen, and preparing for extra costs that can result from a sudden rise in demand for NHPs after detection of an emerging pathogen.
|
From page 4... ...
, an efficient genome-editing tool that enables the rapid generation of animal models on the background of a standard animal life cycle. To prepare for the emergence of future pandemics, animal research facilities may benefit from developing animal colony production strategies and recovery plans, particularly for those animal models that are key to deciphering mechanisms of virologic and immunologic features and for drug development and safety testing.
|
From page 5... ...
, and the Division of Laboratory Animal Research (the University's animal care, animal husbandry, and veterinary care group)
|
From page 6... ...
Dr. Stitt-Fischer stressed the importance of maintaining critical infrastructure of National and Regional Biocontainment Laboratories that provide BSL4/3/2 and BSL3/2 biocontainment facilities, respectively, for critical research on biodefense and emerging infectious disease agents.
|
From page 7... ...
Through its pre-existing collaboration with BioNTech, which had previously focused on mRNA vaccines for influenza, Pfizer developed four potential vaccine candidates that were considered for clinical trials and that varied in their antigen targets, RNA constructs, and immunization schedules. By rapidly developing appropriate animal models, Pfizer/BioNTech delivered key preclinical data on each vaccine candidate within 6 months.
|
From page 8... ...
Dr. Lucy Kennedy of the Unit of Laboratory Animal Medicine at the University of Michigan presented on the financial impacts of COVID-19 on academic animal care programs.
|
From page 9... ...
In particular, he highlighted the Incident Command System's communication strategies as a good model. SESSION 6: PANEL DISCUSSION -- RESILIENCY IN ANIMAL RESEARCH OPERATIONS Panelists responded to questions from workshop attendees covering various topics, including those listed below: • techniques for maintaining high staff morale under difficult circumstances • strategies for communicating rapidly evolving decisions without compromising credibility • methods for combating misinformation about animal research • practices for vaccinating NHPs against emerging pathogens to protect animal health, stop the spread of the pathogen, and reduce the risk of newly emerging variants Responses from the panelists reinforced the value of supporting staff morale through creative means such as "virtual water cooler" forums; providing regular updates to staff on rapidly evolving situations, even if only to say that nothing has changed since the last update; proactively communicating to the public the paramount importance of animal research for addressing emergencies such as a novel pandemic; and vaccinating NHPs when possible without compromising supplies of pathogen-naive NHPs that are needed for animal research itself.
|
From page 10... ...
PLANNING COMMITTEE: Jill Ascher (Chair) , National Institutes of Health; Joyce Cohen, Yerkes National Primate Research Center; Michael Huerkamp, Emory University; David M
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.