Biomedical Research Awareness Day (BRAD) 2023
Stop by our info table and come to a lunch-and-learn session April 20 to celebrate
Biomedical Research Awareness Day (BRAD) is an event created by Americans for Medical Progress. This national organization is devoted to honoring, raising awareness of, and pledging support for the animals needed to find treatments and cures for both humans and animals. Participation in #BRAD2023 also highlights careers in biomedical research and laboratory animal care and medicine.
On Thursday, April 20, the University of Nevada, Reno’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) Office will be participating in BRAD for the first time in order to bring awareness to our campus community of the biomedical research taking place at this university and to show appreciation to the individuals engaged in this research. Many folks may not know that this type of research is taking place on our campus, and we welcome any questions about how this research is conducted and what types of benefits it provides to society.
Members of IACUC Office will be hosting a booth in the breezeway of the Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center from 11 a.m.-noon, alongside staff members from the Animal Resources team, followed by a lunch-and-learn session in the Knowledge Center, Room 104, from 12:15-1:30 p.m. We welcome faculty, staff, students and other campus visitors to visit our booth, and then listen to our lunch presentation by Dean Burkin, a leading muscular dystrophy researcher, professor in the Department of Pharmacology and chair of the IACUC.
Burkin’s research centers around finding new muscular dystrophy therapies, including the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) as well as Laminin-α2 related congenital muscular dystrophy (LAMA2-CMD). In 2017, Dean Burkin was named the 2017 Foundation Established Innovator Award for his work in finding treatments for children with rare muscular diseases.
“The muscular dystrophies are complex genetic diseases that affect not only skeletal and cardiac muscle, but multiple body-wide systems,” Burkin said. “Preclinical models allow a study of the impact these diseases have throughout the body as well as the effectiveness of potential therapeutics. Animals can also be affected by muscle disease, so these studies may provide medicines that can treat both patients and pets afflicted with neuromuscular disease.”
Whether you are a seasoned researcher, a student looking for potential areas of study/career options, or someone just looking to learn more about the interesting research taking place at the University, you are cordially invited to join us in celebrating #BRAD2023 as we pay homage to the important role that research animals play in biomedical research.
About the author: Kristin Eliasen is a Research Compliance Administrator in Research Integrity, a Department within the Research & Innovation division.
