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Training
One of the most important services the IAEA provides to Member States is training and education. The Animal Production Unit of the FAO/IAEA Agriculture and Biotechnology Laboratory and the Animal Production and Health Section at the Headquarters work together through the FAO/IAEA Animal Production and Health Sub-programme to assist in the development and exploitation of biotechnology in general and in particular the use of radio-isotope-based and related techniques which play a major role in for example the characterization of genetic material and increasing our understanding of function at a basic through to the applied level including many practical applications in animal nutrition, animal reproduction and disease control.
Biotechnology offers a great contribution and potential to the so called "livestock revolution" where the increasing demand for livestock and livestock products continues to increase. Examples of nuclear technology at work include: radioimmunoassay for measurement of the concentration of a specific molecule in a biological sample; labelling of rumen microbes, evaluation of animal feeds and pastures to conversion of feed to nutrients, their uptake and utilization of nutrients. Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), a nuclear-related technique, is also widely used for the evaluation, identification and surveillance of targeted antibodies for detection of animal exposure to pathogens; molecular detection and characterization of animal disease pathogens by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) or PCR sequencing; direct labelling of DNA to select for or confirm selected genomic traits that are phenotypically desirable (e.g. leaner meat, more milk, disease tolerant, etc.), and to determine an animal’s parentage or origin.
Training is largely financed through IAEA's Technical Cooperation Fund and is provided at collaborating institutions and at the Animal Production Laboratory of the FAO/IAEA Agriculture and Biotechnology Laboratory. Training can be implemented as individual or group fellowships, as scientific visits awarded to senior staff (programme managers and decision-makers), and as national, regional or interregional training courses, workshops or meetings.
Application forms for fellowships, scientific visits, and nominations for training courses, can be obtained at http://www-tc.iaea.org/tcweb/default.asp.