Visit Taconic at the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science National Meeting (AALAS) 2023!
Salt Lake City, Utah | October 22-26, 2023
Are you attending the 2023 AALAS National Meeting? We'd love to meet with you! Stop booth #2200 to say hello, or request a one-on-one meeting in advance. Our PhD Field Application Scientists are eager to hear about the projects you have in development, and learn about your needs for animal models. Please complete the form to request a 30-minute meeting.
Taconic Poster Presentations
LINE Transposition into Murine Thyroglobulin Results in Congenital Thyroid Dysplasia
October 24, 2023 | 2:00 - 4:00 PM
Presenter: Bart Smits, PhD
A naturally occurring, spontaneous mutation in Taconic Biosciences' wild type C57BL/6NTac mice was discovered. This mutation is strongly associated with early-onset thyroid dysplasia.
Enrichment Database: A Comprehensive Resource to Unify the Use of Enrichment to Improve Animal Welfare
October 24, 2023 | 2:00 - 4:00 PM
Presenter: Brandi MacLeod
Offering enrichment to lab animals is crucial in supporting the animals' physical and psychological well-being, reducing stress, and promoting natural behaviors.
View Abstract
Taconic Platform Session
Welfare Wednesday: A Weekly Installment for Continuous Animal Welfare Training
October 26, 2023 | 8:00 - 8:15 AM
Speaker: Kathleen Bott, LVT, ALAT
In-person training of staff, individually or in small groups, is time-consuming and inefficient. Welfare Wednesday are an alternative, asynchronous way to keep employees up-to-date on animal welfare protocols.
Taconic Exhibitor Teach & Chat
Recognizing and Managing Adverse Outcomes in Myeloid-Supportive Humanized Immune System Mice
October 24, 2023 | 2:10 PM – 2:30 PM
Speaker: Briony Smith
This talk will provide a brief overview of common HIS models and adverse outcomes by model type, with emphasis on HSC-engrafted cytokine-transgenic strains such as the huNOG-EXL and huNSG-SGM3. The presentation will discuss the difference between macrophage-activation syndrome, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and Graft vs. Host Disease (GvHD), with review of recent data including histopathological analysis in several HIS models. The intended audience for this session includes veterinarians, veterinary nurses and anyone involved in planning and executing HIS mouse studies.
Bart Smits, PhD
Senior Manager, Genetic Sciences and Compliance
Dr. Bart MG Smits currently leads the Department of Genetic Sciences and Compliance at Taconic Biosciences. He has 20+ years of research experience with genetically engineered rodent models of human health and disease. Early in his career, Dr. Smits pioneered the generation of genetically engineered rat models and since then he has continuously performed research on the cutting edge of rodent genetic engineering. Before joining Taconic Biosciences in 2018, he was an Assistant Professor at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, leading a research laboratory focusing on comparative genetics of breast cancer susceptibility loci. He completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He holds a PhD in Functional Genomics from the Hubrecht Institute for Developmental Biology and Stem cell research in Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Kathleen Bott, LVT, ALAT
Laboratory Veterinary Animal Nurse II
Kathleen graduated from SUNY Delhi in 2001. She started her career in Equine medicine and worked simultaneously in a small animal hospital in her hometown for 5 years. Kathleen continued her career working 15 years in Small Animal Emergency Medicine, where she managed the blood bank and was a shift lead on the overnight team. She is a certified Recover Advanced Life Support Trainer and enjoys all aspects of training and continuing education. She joined Taconic in March of 2021, while at Taconic Kathleen has found a love for Biomedical Research, became ALAT certified and a BRAD Champion.
Brandi MacLeod, BS, DVM Candidate
Associate Laboratory Veterinary Animal Nurse
Brandi is a DVM candidate and has 7+ years of experience working in the professional field of animal science and veterinary medicine. She joined Taconic in June of 2022, after working in several different fields of veterinary medicine which includes large animal production and small animal general practice. After completing her Bachelors of Science in Animal Science, she became a full time veterinary nurse at the Albany Satellite Site. She now is working as a remote part time associate laboratory animal veterinary nurse as she completes her Doctor’s of Veterinary Medicine and at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana
Briony Smith DVM, DACLAM, MS
Associate Director Veterinary Sciences
Dr. Briony Smith is the Associate Director of Veterinary Sciences at Taconic Biosciences where she focuses on support for the clinical and surgical programs. She also provides input for the enrichment team promoting enhanced animal welfare, the training program and facility design and expansion. Dr. Smith is a Diplomate of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine, completed a 3-year Laboratory Animal Medicine Residency at Texas A&M University while also earning her Master of Science, and received her veterinary degree from THE Ohio State University.