08/12/2015
The Institute has received a commendation at the Openness awards 2015, celebrating the progress made by organisations in the UK towards being more open and transparent about the use of animals in research.
The commendation was awarded in the category recognising activities engaging the public. The Institute’s nomination presented how the use of internal (non-recording) cameras in the Institute’s animal facility has allowed visitors to be guided through all aspects of the facility in real time. The aim of the cameras was to overcome the restraints imposed by the BSU’s containment barrier and to allow groups to appreciate first-hand both the animal care environment and the nature of working within an animal research unit.
Since the cameras became operational in March 2015, over 100 visitors ranging from school groups, policy-makers and overseas visitors have taken virtual tours of the facility. The cameras, which are in every section of the unit, provide line of sight to mouse cages, procedure rooms as well as exposure to working practices.
Institute Director, Professor Michael Wakelam, said: “I am delighted that our progress towards openness and commitment to public engagement has been commended in the Openness Awards. Use of the cameras overcomes the limiting nature of the facility’s containment barrier and has significantly enhanced our interactions with visitors to the Institute, adding an invaluable dimension to our openness activities.”
Babraham sign Concordat on Openness on Animal Ƶ Understanding Animal Ƶ:
08 December 2015