HT Correspondent
JORHAT, Sept 11: The CSIR-North East Institute of Science & Technology (NEIST) in Jorhat, in collaboration with the Laboratory of Animal Science Association of India (LASAI), organised a two-day national symposium titled ‘Crosstalk between Animal Research and Alternatives (NSARA-2023)’ and a one-day hands-on training-cum-workshop on animal experimentation techniques and alternative tools. This event marked a significant initiative in the northeastern region, attended by approximately 170 participants, including scientists, faculty members, research scholars, and students from various academic and research institutions across India.
The one-day training cum workshop, inaugurated on September 7, 2023, by Er Jayanta Jyoti Bora, chief scientist at CSIR-NEIST, was attended by around 70 participants. Dr Rituraj Konwar, head of the Centre for Preclinical Studies at CSIR-NEIST, explained the objectives and importance of the workshop, urging participants to make the most of this learning opportunity.
The event featured invited resource persons from renowned institutions across the country who addressed critical areas such as the care and management of research animals, experiment design, ethical and welfare issues during experimentation, pain management, the biology and behavior of laboratory animal species, and computational alternatives to animal models. The program also included hands-on training and practical demonstrations on animal handling, sampling, route of administration, anesthesia, euthanasia, and necropsy in the experimental animal house of CSIR-NEIST, Jorhat.
The inaugural session of the symposium was graced by Dr Prabodh Kumar Trivedi, director of CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), Lucknow, as the chief guest, and Dr Suresh Poosala, founder of Acastha Health and Oncoseek Pvt Ltd, Hyderabad, as the Guest of Honor. The symposium, based on thematic areas like research on animals, management, animal ethics and welfare, the importance of laboratory animal research, and its alternatives, featured five scientific sessions during the two days.
Certificates of participation were distributed during the valedictory session on September 9, with Dr Subeer S Mazumdar, director-general of Gujarat Biotechnology University, Ahmedabad, and Dr Vijay Pal Singh, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), New Delhi, gracing the occasion as chief guest and Guest of Honor, respectively. Dr Rinku Baishya, senior scientist at CSIR-NEIST, Jorhat, offered the vote of thanks, concluding the event.
This symposium and workshop aimed to foster dialogue and knowledge-sharing among professionals involved in animal research while highlighting the importance of ethics and alternatives in scientific experimentation.
