Date: 
30/08/2009

InterNICHE is happy to announce that it will be providing a Multimedia Exhibition of Alternatives in Education and Training at the VII World Congress on Alternatives and Animal Use in the Life Sciences, being held in Rome from 30 August – 3 September 2009.

The InterNICHE Multimedia Exhibition will offer a program of demonstrations by InterNICHE trainers and some producers in selected exemplary replacement methods, as well as free access to all alternatives for delegates to trial at leisure during the Congress. A similar facility was organised by InterNICHE at the V World Congress, held in Berlin in 2005.

The alternatives provided are held in the InterNICHE Alternatives Loan System, a worldwide library that includes software, training mannekins and simulators. Over 100 alternatives will be available at workstations corresponding to different disciplines, including Anatomy, Anaesthesia & Critical Care, Clinical Skills & Surgery, Physiology and Pharmacology.

Alternatives include Critical Care Jerry, a canine mannekin with heart and breath sounds simulation, for veterinary clinical skills training; the POP-trainer (pulsating organ perfusion) for live laparoscopic surgery training using ethically sourced animal organs; advanced virtual reality (VR) software for surgical skills practice; the Biopac Student Lab for physiology self-experimentation; and a wide range of simulators and software alternatives. One workstation will allow delegates and producers to bring their own alternatives to demonstrate.

On-line access to databases of alternatives in education and training will also be provided.

Items from the Multimedia Exhibition can be reserved during the Congress, and subject to the signing of a Borrowers Agreement can be borrowed by delegates at the end of the event. A range of literature and freeware will also be available for reference and to take away.

Questions and comments on the Multimedia Exhibition should be directed to InterNICHE Co-ordinator Nick Jukes on coordinator@interniche.org