As planned for the first quarter of 2025, we are proud to release version 25.2.3 of MiceManager, which now includes a protocol scheduler.
What’s new ?
Experimental Protocol definitions
In order to streamline and monitor the tasks of animal facility operators, we implement an advanced definition of protocols. In fact, every task is the application of a protocol on an animal (even changing a cage is a protocol!).
So, what is an animal experimentation protocol on MiceManager?
A protocol is a temporal assembly of operations
First do this, then that, etc…
And what is better than a Gantt diagram to represent this assembly ?
An operation is a list of actions
To do this, in need to do all these things ; in any order.
Actions in any order, but within a defined timeframe and by people skilled to do it!
Action is only a bullet point in a todolist
Done!
Every gesture in animal experimentation is an action. An injection? An action! An incision? An action!
In fact, every action in an operation should represent what needs to be done for the operation to be considered complete. It’s the todolist but with sugar:
- an action can request an input value (the operator weighed the mouse, but what was the weight?)
- an action can automatically inform of a reason for death (the operator removed the lungs, which means the animal was culled for experimental purposes)
Now you can set up a daily program by requesting an animal protocol from any operator or member of the facility team (or from yourself)! But above all, you can now smoothly track all the actions performed on each animal, what the legislation requires and what we should all be doing!
Refactor of the notes
Notes were previously used for rudimentary planning, which was not practical for both planning and notes…
Notes are just that… notes! A date, a note, an option to highlight it. That’s all there is to it.
What is the next MiceManager version?
Electronic Cage Label (ECL)
We have selected a Nordic Semiconductor BLE SoC for our ECL and prototyped the label! They should be able to meet the highest safety requirements and be powered for 6 months by a USB-C rechargeable Li-ion battery and probably forever using a small solar cell. We are evaluating the interest to publish the source to let end-users build and adapt our ECL to there needs… we will keep you posted.
We’re currently working on a connection bridge between the MiceManager and the ECL. Will it use WIFI? Ethernet? BLE Mesh? We don’t know yet! It should be scalable and easy to install: that’s our only goal, as usual!
GJ from InfenX
