The Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations (FELASA) regroups 21 member associations and represents 28 countries across Europe (see https://felasa.eu/). FELASA is particularly renowned for three major activities: accreditation of courses, working group recommendations, and the triennial FELASA Congress.

Marseille, France, will welcome the 15^th FELASA Congress on 13^th – 16^th June 2022. FELASA and its member Association Française des Sciences et Techniques de l’Animal de Laboratoire (AFSTAL, the « French LASA ») organise the event together. Obviously, after a few years of worry, we are very happy that the borders are open and that we can hold the Congress on the Mediterranean Sea shore, in France’s second largest city, where sun and heat are surely going to raise the mood! All info on the Congress is available on https://www.felasa2022.eu/ where the front-page picture says it all.

The scientific programme can be found on https://www.felasa2022.eu/programme/. The topic this year is communication in animal research. It will be organised in four streams: communication with and between animals; communication and culture of care; education and training: communication towards the future; communicating between peers, authorities, and the public. Altogether, a bit shy of a hundred sessions and workshops, and over 200 posters will be presented. This includes the Tech Day on Wednesday 15^th June, with four sessions dedicated to animal technologists https://www.felasa2022.eu/tech-day/.

We are particularly lucky with our keynote lectures because Lynne Sneddon, Hanno Wurbel, and David Smith share the ability to critically assess the laboratory animal science field and propose innovation and new perspectives to improve the field. Lynne will open the meeting with “How effective communication can drive improvements in aquatic animal welfare”. Hanno will present on Tuesday “More than 3Rs – the principles of Humane experimental technique”. David will receive the FELASA Award and give his keynote on “Challenging the norm to achieve the 3Rs – the value of data sharing, transparency and openness”. We are very much looking forward to these inspirational talks: https://www.felasa2022.eu/keynote-lectures/.

As ever, FELASA’s activities will be at the heart of the scientific programme with updates from FELASA working groups on anaesthesia and analgesia in farm animals, rehoming, teaching experimental design, harmonisation of technician education, blood sampling of rodents, transport of lab animals, the NVS role, health monitoring in IVCs, and noticeably several aquatic themed ones: capture and transport of cephalopods, fish health monitoring, pain management in zebrafish, and fish euthanasia. FELASA severity workshops will also propose a pre-start to the Congress on Sunday 12^th, followed by workshops dedicated to large animals and aquatics during the Congress week. The FELASA Education and Training Accreditation Board will present their scheme, and with communication being the theme of the Congress, many sessions will be dedicated to education, a recurrent hot topic in FELASA Congresses.

FELASA recommendations raise the standards of laboratory animal science and care internationally, and this is supported by dynamic relations between FELASA and other international organisations which present on their activities or on specific topics during the Congress and have a booth in the main exhibition or in the association village. Just to name a few, AAALAC international, American Association for Laboratory Animal Science, Animal Research Tomorrow, European Animal Research Association, European College of Laboratory Animal Medicine, European Society for Laboratory Animal Veterinarians, Fondazione Guido Bernardini, Institute of Animal Technology – European Federation of Animal Technology, International Council for Laboratory Animal Science, Laboratory Animals Limited, the European Commission, Understanding Animal Research, and the Zebrafish Husbandry Association. For example, the Congress is an essential forum for the implementation of directive 2010/63/EU.

FELASA Congresses have a pattern with 90 min sessions separated by 45 min tea breaks and long lunch times allowing keynotes and plenty of interaction with unpixelated exhibitors and colleagues. Yet, there is a time for everything! The Congress topic being communication, one session will propose a new competitive format where speakers will have 3 minutes to present their 3R initiatives. The audience and a large jury will select the winners: that sounds like a great opportunity to learn with excitement! The Organising Committee of the Congress also decided to prolong what we started in Prague in 2019 and to reduce the Congress’ environmental impact. There are many initiatives at different organisational levels (including sessions on the environmental impact of research in the scientific programme), but the one that is most likely to be new to participants is the absence of printed posters. All posters will be electronic, with devices available to appreciate the posters electronically and vote for the best ones. Poster authors will have the opportunity to briefly introduce their work orally to small audiences on site.

A major advantage of electronic posters is that they will be available online, even after the Congress. Indeed, there will be a platform available to participants. This will hold live broadcasting of sessions and keynotes in the plenary hall, and recordings of the Tech Day and many more sessions on 3R applications, facility management, green initiatives, EU directive implementation, severity assessment, culture of care, FELASA working groups, and aquatics. Access will also be granted to participants who cannot attend in person. Hence, the Congress is going virtual with a hybrid concept. This is particularly useful for people who cannot attend at the last minute and for technicians who may not have funding to travel to Marseille but who will be able to watch the Tech Day recordings at distance at the reduced technician fee. Check the registration page on the website for all info: https://www.felasa2022.eu/registration/.

That said, even if we are working on developing online interaction during the Congress, you may find yourself rather lonely behind your screen when the Congress is as buzzing as ever. Indeed, registration and exhibition figures are really looking good, and we may well break again the ceiling of 2000 registrations! These will be 2000 happy people as the welcome reception themed on Marseille culture will surely create lots of fun memories https://www.felasa2022.eu/networking-events/. The social programme also includes the charity run https://www.felasa2022.eu/charity-run/ and the gala dinner in the Palais du Pharo on Wednesday: a busy day with good opportunities to discover the city beyond the Congress venue.

See you in Marseille!

What to expect in FELASA 2022 on 13-16 June in Marseille or online

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