The Australian and New Zealand Laboratory Animal Association is accepting poster presentation submissions for the ANZLAA 2024 Conference to be held at the Adelaide Convention Centre from 27 - 29 August 2024.

This three-day conference will bring together thought leaders and experts in their field, through a mixture of keynote speeches, panel discussions and workshops to explore the latest trends and best practices. This year the theme of the conference will be Tomorrow Together: Building a culture of collaboration.

The conference will be attended by hundreds of lab animal industry professionals and will provide opportunities to immerse yourself in the latest research, trends and innovations and network with like-minded professionals.

We invite you to be part of this conference by applying to present a poster.

Please read the following instructions on how to prepare and submit your poster for the 2024 ANZLAA Conference.

PLEASE NOTE:

* Posters submitted in hard copy will not be accepted. Only abstracts submitted via the online portal will be accepted and reviewed.

* The 2024 ANZLAA Conference is to be held face to face in Melbourne.

An abstract is a short description of the poster content that you wish to present at the conference. The poster selection committee will use it to decide whether your poster presentation will be accepted. In addition, your abstract will be used to promote your poster presentation to conference attendees.

The program will cover but not limited to:

Safety & Compliance
With ever changing governance conditions and multiple levels of legislation to comply with it's imperative we stay on top of what's required to be compliant and safe at the same time. 

Innovation
Have you introduced new processes? Are you interested in implementing new processes? Innovation is the key to continual improvement and  is at the forefront of science and adapting to these innovations is paramount.

Future Trends
Where do we see our industry in the future? Where will you and your team be? Anticipating future trends is crucial for effective planning and staying ahead of the curve

Communication & Support
Clear communication plays a pivotal role in fostering strong teamwork and enhancing interactions with animals. Continuously improving support for managers, staff, and students is essential for ensuring optimal performance and well-being.

Culture & Community (Local, Regional, International)
Australia and New Zealand wield significant global influence in the realm of science and innovation, boasting numerous success stories. At our event, we will shine a spotlight on the remarkable individuals and teams within our community who continuously make groundbreaking discoveries. With the invaluable assistance of animal support teams, we celebrate the positive impact they bring to our scientific endeavors.

Quality
Quality staff lead to quality teams, which in turn, pave the way for quality science! Developing processes to measure quality and consistency is essential for supporting one another.

Collaboration
Facility operations encompass a huge number of staff. Collaborating, learning and exchanging information is key to any facilities success. 

Social Responsibility (sustainability, community awareness/sustainability)
The use of animals for scientific research is a hot topic and continues to gain traction with the general public. It is our responsibility to acknowledge this and help the community appreciate that our industry is heavily regulated by professionals that care and who do an incredible amount of training to ensure the highest standards possible.

Welfare
Animal & staff welfare continues to be a highlighted topic within our community.  Prioritising these topics is critical to create a culture of care for both or animals and staff.

If this is your first time submitting an abstract for the Conference, you must click on the blue ‘Create New Account’ button before being able to create your submission.

This will prompt you to enter your email address and create a password for your account. Once complete click on the ‘create’ button. You will then need to create a profile which is completed on the Contact Information tab. After creating a contact, additional tabs will appear that will enable you to submit, edit and withdraw any of your submission(s).

Note. If you have already created a profile, you will only need to enter your email address and password and click ‘Login’

STEP 1: Abstract title (max. 15 words) - The title should be as brief as possible but long enough to clearly indicate the nature of the abstract. If you wish to include a subtitle, it must be included in this field and included in the 15 word limit.

STEP 2: Themes

Submission themes: chose a theme which best describes your submission.

1. Training

We are seeking abstracts from a range of professionals to share details of ‘training’ in the field of animal care and research.

Training and development can help employees to grow in their roles, improve their performance and develop new skills and increase job satisfaction. It can also highlight the need for increased availability to training courses, skill shortages, ongoing education, and greater access to industry resources for the future of the field and to futureproof these careers in the industry for the professionals to come.

2. Teams

What creates a successful animal team? What makes a cohesive team, and what areas are teams falling short on?

We are calling for abstracts related to how teams within animal research facilities can work effectively together. Think outside the box and include all aspects of the animal team, including animal techs, vets, awos, training and data management teams. What do you want to see within your team that leads to successful outcomes? Some examples of areas to explore are team DISC assessments, multi-department communication, well-being in the context of what enhances employee motivation, as well as well-being in the context of openness agreements and how this can contribute to an overall sense of purpose. The scope can also include specific tools and techniques that can be used to enhance certain members of the team. For example, what do vets need to succeed within the animal service team?

3. Technology

How does technology keep your facility running?

A call for abstracts on the day-to-day, specialised and emerging technologies that facilitate the smooth operation of an animal facility.  Technologies can include health monitoring and healthcare advancements, data management systems, equipment and machinery and compliance regulations and policies.  This should include detail of how it improves efficiencies, animal welfare and/or promotes the 3R’s.

STEP 3: Authors & affiliations – Your details as the main contact will automatically appear as an affiliation and author. You will need to begin by checking your details are correct and ticking if you are a presenter. Once it has been completed, you can add any additional authors and affiliations. Please ensure the main author is abstract author 1 by using the arrows to move their details to the top.

*Note: Please enter the affiliation number in the corresponding box for the abstract author.

Please ensure the spelling of their names and affiliations (if applicable) is correct.

Biography (max 100. words) - Provide a biography exactly the way you would like it published on the website and conference app. Your biography is limited to 100 words and preferably written in third person.

STEP 4: Abstract (max. 350 words)

• Enter the abstract text, by either copy/pasting from your word file or typing in the information. Click here for abstract writing tips
• Suggested headings:
• Background
• Aims or objectives
• Materials and methods
• Results
• Discussion
• Conclusion
• References are not required. If you wish to include them, they must be included in the body of your abstract and included in the 350 word count.
• Once your submission is complete, please read your abstract in full to ensure all details are correct.
• Do not use tables or figures.
• Ensure your abstract is print ready i.e. If successful, the session information will appear in conference collateral as it has been submitted in the abstract. Please note that ANZLAA reserve the right to edit the copy provided.

 STEP 5: Confirm the following items for your abstract submission

Confirm the following items for your authors:

• Conflict – If any of the author(s) have any commercial interests or associations that might pose a conflict of interest regarding this submission, please enter them.
• Permission to publish - You are required to provide permission on behalf of all authors and affiliations associated with the abstract submission, for the abstract to appear on the conference website, app and in printed material if it is accepted for presentation.

STEP 7: Once complete you will be taken to a summary page to review all the details you have entered. If you are happy with the information, you may then click on the submit button. The next screen will confirm your submission has been received. You will be sent a confirmation email.