YOUR MONTHLY NEWS & UPDATES |
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Laboratory Diagnosticians' News Matters |
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Call for 2021 Annual Meeting Submissions: Open Now and closing May 31st
Denver – here we come!
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Jeremiah T. Saliki , DVM, PhD, DACVM, President Elect & Program Chair |
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Hello everyone. I hope this message finds you and your loved ones staying safe from COVID and doing the best you can under the current circumstances. Our annual meeting is just six months away. Six months may sound like a long time, but the meeting will creep up very fast on us. Although we are still in the throes of the pandemic, recent developments have given us enough hope to make some decisions about the meeting.
The AAVLD Board has decided to make the meeting a hybrid one, with both on-site and remote participation. Although we would like to encourage as many participants as possible to plan to be on-site, we understand that some may not be able to participate on-site. Following is some important information regarding this first ever hybrid annual meeting for our organization:
- All oral presenters will be required to submit pre-recorded presentations.
- Virtual oral presenters will NOT have a session; they just need to submit an abstract, their recording for an ON-DEMAND session, and their email for handling questions.
- On-site oral presenters will speak as usual during the live sessions at the meeting. They will be required to submit an abstract and a recording, which will be added to the on-demand meeting library and available to all registrants (on-site and remote) for a period centered on the meeting dates.
- Remote poster presenters will submit their abstract, a digital copy of their poster, and an e-mail address for handling questions.
- On-site poster presenters need to submit an abstract, a digital copy of the poster, and bring their poster to the meeting.
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During the meeting, remote registrants will be able to see the live session and hear the presenter but can only ask questions through the chat function; they will not be able to interact with the speaker or anyone else in the live session.
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Numerous competitive opportunities for graduate students and trainees are available. Please declare where you wish to compete when you submit your abstract
(see instructions at aavld.org).
We count on you to enrich the scientific program through the submission of your abstracts on cutting-edge diagnostic science. Further enriching the scientific program will be a cadre of highly experienced and respected scientists presenting on four topics at the plenary session on October 24th. The theme of the plenary session is “Preparing for future pandemics – the role of innovation and One Health lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic”. Please, look out for more information on plenary topics and speakers in the next newsletter and go to our website at aavld.org for more meeting details. Thank you and I look forward to seeing your submissions soon; submission is open NOW and closes May 31st.
Sincerely,
Jeremiah T. Saliki, DVM, PhD, DACVM
2021 Annual Meeting Program Chair
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If you haven't already, please take a moment to create an account and submit your abstract!
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At its April board meeting, the Directors approved the organization’s first Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy, as brought forth by the Diversity and Inclusion Task Force. Cochairs Cat Barr and Amar Patil crafted the policy along with other members of the task force following a survey and input from the general membership. President Zhang declared the policy in-force immediately upon board approval; and it is posted on our website. The board was very supportive of this initiative and also received a list of recommendations from the task force. The Board is studying these recommendations to determine the next best steps, with the goal of making AAVLD an exemplary welcoming organization regarding these matters.
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Members of the Diversity and Inclusion Task Force are: |
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- Maria Spinato
- Kristy Farmer
- Tanya LeRoith
- Gary Anderson
- Katie Woodard
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- Rafaela De Negri
- Debbie Reed
- William Wilson
- Christie Mayo
- Moges W Woldemeskel
- Jerry Saliki
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AAVLD Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policy |
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The American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD) values and respects each member, irrespective of race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion, political affiliation, education, or disability. The AAVLD believes diversity enhances the mission and goals of the Association. The AAVLD listens to and appreciates all voices and believes every human being should be treated with respect. The AAVLD is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment with equitable treatment for all. |
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Interested in helping maintain and shape the public face of the AAVLD? |
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Interested in helping maintain and shape the public face of the AAVLD? The Communications Committee is forming a new subcommittee that will be tasked with reviewing requests related to the organization’s website, periodic review of the website, and overall maintenance of this space.
The Communications Committee is seeking volunteers to serve as members of a Website Subcommittee that will perform these functions. The website has recently undergone several changes and our committee would like to ensure that the website remains a functional tool for members, as well as an informative and attractive space for those seeking information about the AAVLD. No need to be tech-savvy—just someone interested in the website and its functionality and presentation. The subcommittee will meet virtually 2-4 times annually.
If you would like to serve on this subcommittee, please send a note to Grant Burcham gburcham@purdue.edu or Pam Ferro pferro@tvmdl.tamu.edu, current co-chairs of the Communications Committee. Thanks for your interest!
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GRC Corner
Bruce Akey and Pat Halbur, Cochairs, GRC
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The AAVLD Government Relations Committee (GRC) and the Executive Committee (EC) have been keeping an eye on several active issues in Washington lately including:
2018 Farm Bill mandatory funding for the NAHLN – USDA has so far chosen to allocate roughly $5 million a year to support the NAHLN from this mandatory funding. This has been done through a competitive grants program that addresses several key functional areas of the NAHLN. While no doubt of some benefit, this does not meet the original intent of that funding, which was to supplement the annual NAHLN infrastructure grant program, thereby insuring that all NAHLN laboratories were benefited, not just those capable of being successful for these competitive grants. We have been addressing this issue with USDA to try to change how they allocate this money to the NAHLN. The previous USDA administration was not supportive of this however, with the recent change in administration, we are redoubling efforts to change this to support all labs.
2021 Omnibus Appropriations – Included in this funding was $20 million for USDA specifically aimed at improving animal health surveillance and response capabilities. While it did not specify the NAHLN as the target of this money, appropriators in both the House and Senate indicated that was the intent and that was communicated to USDA. We understand that USDA is in the process of determining how that $20 million will be spent. This appears to be “no-year” funding, i.e. it does not have to be expended within a single fiscal year. There also do not appear to be restrictions on what kinds of things it can be used for, including facilities.
2021 American Rescue Plan (COVID Relief) – This most recent COVID relief funding bill included a specified $300 million appropriation to USDA to support surveillance and response efforts for SARS CoV 2 in animals. While this appears to be very narrow in focus, it appears that USDA is willing to apply a broader interpretation and consider this funding to support surveillance, preparedness and response for any high consequence animal or zoonotic disease, not just COVID-19. This includes additional support for the NAHLN, but also for other USDA activities related to this focus. This funding is also “no-year” money and does not appear to have restrictions preventing it from potentially being used for facilities in addition to equipment, personnel, training and etc… USDA is seeking input from NAHLN laboratories on the best use of these funds as they decide on how the funding will be allocated. AAVLD leadership has sent out a survey to lab directors to collect and compile the priorities.
FY22 Annual NAHLN Appropriations – Efforts are ongoing to increase the annual NAHLN-related appropriations to a total of $30 million/yr, the level authorized in the 2018 Farm Bill. This total would include funding for NAHLN through both APHIS and NIFA channels. One possibility is to have the majority of the funding go through APHIS ($25M ?), since their mission is more aligned with that of the NAHLN, but still have some funding go through NIFA in the form of competitive grants for R&D related to the NAHLN ($5M ?). There appears to be support in both the House and Senate Agriculture appropriations committees for reaching this goal.
Emergency authorization to recognize NAHLN laboratories as CLIA equivalent – A One Health Act bill has been introduced in both the House (HB 2061) and Senate (SB 861), both with bipartisan sponsorship. The basic aim is to compel all relevant federal agencies to adopt a coordinated, one-health approach to planning and response to human pandemics. As those labs that have participated in human COVID-19 testing experienced, the current CLIA regulations for human clinical testing do not recognize veterinary diagnostic laboratories like those in the NAHLN as being qualified to do human testing, even in a declared national pandemic emergency. This One Health Act may provide a vehicle to insert a change to the emergency powers of the Secretary of HHS to allow for the recognition of NAHLN laboratories as “equal to” CLIA accredited laboratories for the limited purpose of supporting pandemic diagnostic testing services. Please contact Bruce Akey (bakey@tvmdl.tamu.edu) for more information including draft language for such legislation.
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Join CDC's Monthly ZOHU Call |
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Dear colleagues,
As you may know, CDC’s One Health Office hosts monthly webinars, called CDC Zoonoses and One Health Updates, or ZOHU Calls. These webinars cover timely issues related to zoonoses and One Health topics in the United States. The ZOHU Call allows participants to share information and gain knowledge on hot topics in One Health; build partnerships across human, animal, environmental health and other sectors; create networks; and learn about emerging and important issues in One Health. Currently, more than 1,200 people subscribe to the ZOHU Call newsletter, including public health and animal health officials; epidemiologists; veterinarians; physicians; nurses; and other public health practitioners at the federal, state, and local levels as well as professionals from non-governmental organizations, industry, and academia.
ZOHU Calls offer free Continuing Education for a variety of public health, animal health, and human health professionals. Participants can earn CME, CNE, CEU, CECH, CPH and AAVSB/RACE. Each call is recorded and available online for those unable to attend live sessions.
Please help us by letting your colleagues and partners know about this exciting opportunity. We hope that ZOHU Calls will continue to be a valuable educational and professional resource for those involved and interested in One Health work. Suggestions for presentation topics and questions about ZOHU Calls can be directed to zohucall@cdc.gov, and consider subscribing to the monthly ZOHU Call News and Updates email newsletter.
Warm regards,
The One Health Office
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UNL seeing significantly low positivity rate
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UNL seeing significantly low positivity rate - KLKN-TV
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) - Half a percent! That's the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's COVID-19 positivity rate, something they're pretty proud of. The current positivity rate at UNL is 0.57%, which is down compared to last week's 0.74%. According to ...
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www.klkntv.com
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The current positivity rate at UNL is 0.57%, which is down compared to last week's 0.74%.
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LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Half a percent! That’s the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s COVID-19 positivity rate, something they’re pretty proud of.
The University says their emphasis on rapid testing and quick reacting is a huge contributing factor to their half a percent positivity rate.
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“Because we were able to get students into isolation and quarantine fast; we haven’t seen much spread on campus and the number of cases that we have had on a daily basis has remained relatively low compared to our experience in the fall,” Bob Wilhelm, Vice Chancellor of Research and Economic Development at UNL said.
Rapid testing has been done to all students since the beginning of the year when they arrived back on campus for spring semester. Multiple testing sites have been placed on school grounds for their students.
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has decided to cancel their Spring Break, which was scheduled to take place next week.
“We would have had a big dispersion of people spreading out across the state and also across the country and then coming back in again,” Wilhelm said. “We wanted to avoid that opportunity for more spread.”
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April 5, 2021
Lexington, Ky.
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UK Gluck Center and VDL preliminarily identify novel Rotavirus |
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Researchers at the University of Kentucky’s Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center and the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory have preliminarily identified a novel Rotavirus associated with diarrhea in very young foals.
This virus could not be detected using current diagnostic tests for equine Rotavirus A and appears to be different than the virus strain used in the currently available commercial vaccine.
Efforts are underway to better characterize the virus and determine its role in the current outbreak of diarrheal disease. Additional investigations are also underway at UK to identify other possible causes, and researchers are sending out an epidemiological survey to farms to better understand the outbreak.
Both the Gluck Center and the Veterinary Diagnostic Lab recommend strict biosecurity protocols as the best protection strategy at this time.
Contact:
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UK Gluck Center and VDL preliminarily identify novel...
Researchers at the University of Kentucky's Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center and the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory have preliminarily identified a novel Rotavirus associated with diarrhea in very young foals.This virus could not be...
Read more
news.ca.uky.edu
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Virginia Announces New Program Manager of Animal Laboratory Services
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The Office of Laboratory Services for the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services have appointed Jessica Walters, DVM, PhD, DACPV as the new Program Manager.
AAVLD Congratulates Dr. Walters and wish her the best in her new role. Her bio is below.
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Dr. Jessica Walters is a boarded poultry veterinarian who previously served both as the Poultry Diagnostician for the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and as the Director of the Harrisonburg Regional Animal Health Laboratory for the Office of Laboratory Services. She received her PhD in poultry infectious diseases in 2014, and her DVM in food animal medicine in 2016- both from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. She is a Diplomate of the American College of Poultry Veterinarians. Dr. Walters is a native of Powhatan, Virginia with an agricultural background working with horses and beef cattle, but she became interested in poultry production and health while obtaining an undergraduate degree at Virginia Tech. In her current role, she enjoys participating in the education of backyard producers, teaching students about poultry medicine, and working hands-on with the commercial industry. She has a passion for flock health, production management, and disease diagnostics. In her free time, Dr. Walters enjoys international volunteer work, horseback riding, hiking, and traveling. She and her husband welcomed their daughter Sara Beth in March of 2020. They, along with their menagerie of animals reside in Rockingham County. |
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AAVLD New Member Benefit Coming Soon! |
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AAVLD is bringing you a new membership benefit that is sure to peek your interest. The MC l LMS is a Learning Management System. The MC l LMS will keep certification and training materials in one place. Members can view training videos, scientific presentations and much more. AAVLD will determine the packages, availability, and pricing soon.
Some of the MC l LMS features:
- Single-Sign-On (SSO) with Oasis
- Content Upload and Management
- Customized Certificates
- Continuing Education Tracking
- Group-based Permissioning
- Progress and Usage Reporting
We have captured most of the 2020 AAVLD Annual Meeting and will launch the program by featuring recorded scientific sessions and other speakers soon. Information will be sent to you via AAVLD communication emails, so look out for the latest updates.
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AAVLD Membership Drive Competition – Earn a Free Lunch for yourself or your Lab!! |
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Dear AAVLD Members:
We hope you and your loved ones are staying safe during this unprecedented crisis. We want to reach out to you on behalf of AAVLD as co-chairs of the membership committee. The strength of AAVLD as a corporate body largely depends on the commitment of its members and we want to heartily thank you for support of the organization over the years.
Our vibrancy as an organization depends on a strong involved membership base. In this regard, we remind you of the ongoing membership drive competition which due to COVID issues, we have now extended the competition to September 30, 2021.
Competition Timeframe: January 2020 through September 30, 2021.
How to submit: The competition is open to individual members and to Laboratories. The goal is to grow our organization’s membership through the recruitment of new members and bringing back previous members whose membership has lapsed by two or more years. Each time you successfully sponsor a new member who subscribes, send your name (personal or institution) and the name of the new member to rozuna@aavld.org and burrough@iastate.edu.
Prizes: Winners will be selected based solely on the number of new or renewing (after ≥ 2-year lapse) members recruited. The winners will be recognized at the AAVLD annual meeting during the Foundation Auction. There will be two prizes – one individual and one Lab:
· Individual prize: $100 Visa debit card: treat yourself for being an outstanding supporter!
· Laboratory prize: $500 Visa debit card: use these funds to celebrate with your lab mates!
We wish you continuous safety during the months ahead and look forward to meeting you online at the October annual meeting.
Debra Royal & Eric Burrough
Co-Chairs, Membership Committee
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2021 Hybrid AAVLD / USAHA Conference |
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Science knows no country, because knowledge belongs to humanity, and is the torch which illuminates the world. Science is the highest personification of the nation because that nation will remain the first which carries the furthest the works of thought and intelligence.
Louis Pasteur
Source: BraineyQuote
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Take advantage of the terrific AAVLD resources offered to our members |
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Veterinary Jobs - American Association of Veterinary...
We use cookies on this site to enhance your experience. By using our website you accept our use of cookies. Yes, I agree More Information Cookies YourMembership uses cookies for your convenience and security. Cookies are text files stored on the...
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aavld-jobs.careerwebsite.com
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Veterinary Jobs - American Association of Veterinary...
The American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians offers the top jobs available in Veterinary diagnostic labs. Search and apply to open positions or post jobs on the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians now.
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2022 Renewals are due by November 15!
'Membership is January to December'
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AAVLD membership is open to any individual interested in the disciplines and activities of veterinary diagnostic laboratories. Membership terms are by calendar year (January-December) and membership dues are payable by November 15th of the preceding year (to ensure inclusion in the annual membership directory, eligibility for committee involvement, and receipt of all six issues of the JVDI). Note: In order to receive a discounted rate for the Annual Meeting registration, you are required to be a current AAVLD Member. |
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Did your membership Lapse? |
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Please select 'Renew Now' to access the Lapsed Membership renewal form. www.aavld.org ->Quick Links->Renew Now->here you can access the Lapsed Membership Form.
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Frequently Asked Questions Regarding AAVLD Membership:
When are my dues fee due?
They are due November 15 for the next calendar year. Many members pay for the next year when they register for the annual meeting. Lead time is needed to finalize committee appointments for the new year.
Does it matter who pays for my dues?
No. Your status will be the same with their respective privileges whether you pay, your employer pays, or your Uncle Vinny.
Are Lab Accreditation dues different than Institutional/Agency membership dues?
Yes
· Laboratory Accreditation dues are different and separate and are related to accreditation only and go to fund the accreditation program only.
· Whether accredited or not, a Laboratory (or Institution/Agency) may additionally become an Institutional/Agency Member. By doing so they are supporting the broad mission of the AAVLD and these funds go to support CE and training and all other activities of the AAVLD. Institutional/Agency Members are highly valued members and are demonstrating leadership and belief in our organizational purpose.
Do Institutional/Agency Member labs have to pay for their employees individual dues?
No. A laboratory, institution, agency or department can become a member under this category even without signing up their employees. They are simply supporting the AAVLD mission with their dues payment. Some states are not allowed to pay for employee dues; and some states have budgetary restrictions.
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2021 Committee Appointments |
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If you wish to serve on a particular committee in 2021, contact the committee chairs now and express your interest. Thank you!
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AAVLD & News Worthy Events |
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- Executive Board Virtual Meeting, August 4, 2021-VIRTUAL
- Accreditation Committee, Meeting August 2-3, 2021-VIRTUAL
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AAVLD/USAHA Hybrid Annual Conference, Gaylord of the Rockies, Denver, Colorado, October 22-October 26, 2021 (Due to the uncertainty with Covid-19, their may be updates to the details of the meeting.)
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Do you have ideas to improve the AAVLD annual meeting? Contact David Zeman dzeman@aavld.org
Would you like to sponsor an event? Contact
What ever your contribution to the AAVLD mission, we need you!
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Thank You to our Exhibitors and Sponsors of the 2021 Annual Conference!
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The generous contributions and participation by our Exhibitors and Sponsors is a huge part of our conference success year after year. On behalf of the AAVLD, we would like to thank these companies for their commitment to our organization and helping us to achieve our mission.
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Thank you
2021 Meeting Sponsors
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Science and Technology - Clark & Enersen
Our specialized team of experts and thought leaders has been involved in the programming, planning, and design of more than $5 billion worth of science and technology facilities, and were recently ranked #15 on the 2020 Giants 400 rankings of the ...
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www.clarkenersen.com
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Zoetis, the largest global animal health company
At Zoetis, our work is guided by a simple vision - that our products, services and people will be the most valued by animal health customers around the world. Learn more Zoetis delivers quality medicines, vaccines and diagnostic products, which...
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www.zoetis.com
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Perkins&Will
Designing a better, more beautiful world since 1935. Pat Bosch Finds Magic and Meaning in Design Our Designer Spotlight Series highlights some of our top talent from around the world, diving into our team's creative philosophies and design ethos. ...
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perkinswill.com
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AAVLD Foundation Committee
Brett Webb- Cochair
Francois Elvinger- Cochair
John M. Adaska
Donal O'Toole
Tim Baszler
David Zeman
Bruce Akey
Jerry Saliki
Christie Mayo
Kristy Pabilonia
Beate Crossley
François Elvinger
Pat Halbur
Brett Webb
Jamie Henningson
Kerry Sondgeroth
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The AAVLD Foundation is a non-profit foundation that raises funds for the advancement of veterinary diagnostic laboratory disciplines through scholarship programs, student travel support to our scientific meeting, guest lectures, seminars, professional awards and research programs. Contributions to the Foundation are tax-deductible 501(c)(3), and can be paid when you renew your AAVLD membership. Thank you for remembering your AAVLD Foundation!
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