SLALAS Scientific Sessions: ‘Ethical animal experimentation’
View(s):The Sri Lanka Association for Laboratory Animal Science (SLALAS) held its 2nd Annual Scientific Sessions on the theme ‘Ethical animal experimentation towards better scientific understanding’ recently at the Aldo Castalani Auditorium of the Medical Research Institute (MRI), Colombo 8.
Delivering her address on ‘Ethics and beyond: The future of animal experimentation in Sri Lanka’, SLALAS President Dr. Mayuri Thammitiyagodage emphasised the importance of standardisation and regularisation of animal experimentations in the country.
The Guest-of-Honour, Emeritus Prof. Ira Thabrew, queried whether only ‘In-vitro methods are adequate for complete bioactivity evaluation’. It was a very interesting lecture on herbal medicine in the world and in Sri Lanka.
The Plenary Lectures were by Prof. K.K.D.S. Ranaweera, Director of the Bandaranaike Memorial Ayurvedic Research Institute, Nawinna, who pointed out the ‘Challenges encountered in introducing herbal medicine in Sri Lanka’; Prof. Preethi Udagama of the Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Colombo, who explained in detail the ‘Production of monoclonal antibodies using Balb/c mice’ while personalising her talk by blending in her vast experience; and Prof. Mangala Gunatilake of the Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, on the ‘3Rs and Alternatives’, in which she detailed the important aspects of the Zebra Fish Egg Model as an alternative method and the maintenance of the fish model under standard conditions.
The Mini-Symposia were dedicated to ‘Useful animal models’, ‘Immunology and genetics’, ‘Herbal medicine’ and ‘Animal welfare’.
The ‘Dr. Sharmini Jayasekera Award for the Best Presentation’ was awarded to C.D. Jayasinghe of the Department of Zoology, University of Colombo, for her research on ‘In-vitro pro-coagulant and thrombolytic activity of Carica papaya mature leaf concentrate against blood coagulate cascade’.
The Post-Congress Workshop on the ‘Application of ELISA in Research and Diagnosis’ was conducted at the VRI, Gannoruwa, Peradeniya.