Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)
Forms
Annual IACUC Workshop
Agenda
Occupational Health & Safety Presentation
Introduction
The animal facilities and programs of the University of Scranton are operated in conformity with the Animal Welfare Act (CFR 1985), the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (1996), 2010 Guide to the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (8th edition), and other applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and policies.
In accordance with USDA regulations, the Loyola Science Center Animal Facilities (vivarium and aquatics facility), maintain strict operational policies, including the Animal Facility Procedures Animal Facilities Procedures and the Aquatics Facility Procedures. These procedures are posted in the respective facility. A copy of the Crisis Management Plan for the facilities is also posted in each of the animal facilities.
The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is charged with the responsibility to assure that no animals are used unnecessarily for research or instruction and that every effort is made to insure animal well-being and to minimize pain and distress.
Animal Welfare Act & OLAW
The animal facilities and programs of the University of Scranton are operated in conformity with the Animal Welfare Act (CFR 1985), the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (1996), the Arena/OLAW IACUC Guidebook and AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals.
Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)
All research and instruction involving animal (nonhuman vertebrate) subjects is subject to review by the University's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). The University of Scranton's IACUC usually has 7 members, including a veterinarian, a community member, a non-scientist, and at least three individuals involved in animal research. The current chair of the IACUC is Gary G. Kwiecinski, Ph.D., Biology Department, and the attending veterinarian is Robert Noto, D.V.M. of the Memorial Veterinary Hospital, Dickson City.
Federal Registration
The Animal Facilities housed in Loyola Science Center are registered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) division of Regulatory Enforcement and Animal Care (Registration # 23-R-0133, Expires 8/7/2020).
Annual Training Workshop, Videos, and Other Guidelines
The IACUC holds annual animal care training workshops. The IACUC's collection of species-specific guidelines and other general animal care guidelines is housed in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs and is also available on several websites (see Useful Websites). Additionally, the IACUC keeps training and informational videotapes on permanent reserve at the Weinberg Memorial Library's Media Resources office:
Some Preferred Techniques for the Laboratory Mouse, CALAS/ACSAL (13 minutes)
Some Preferred Techniques for the Laboratory Rat, CALAS/ACSAL (24 minutes)
Some Preferred Techniques for the Laboratory Gerbil and Hamster, CALAS/ACSAL (20 minutes)
IACUC Review of Protocols
IACUC Review of Protocols
Investigators intending to use animal subjects in research or for instructional purposes must submit a written description of the activities, using the IACUC's Animal Use Protocol form as a guideline. All IACUC forms are available on the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) website. The Cover Sheet and Protocol Narrative must be submitted electronically as an MS Word e-mail attachment to gary.kwiecinski@scranton.edu AND send one signed copy of the Cover Sheet to Dr. Kwiecinski, LSC292. The protocol must be received at least two weeks prior to the expected date of ordering animals. The IACUC meets four times a year and reviews proposals by mail year-round, therefore proposals may be submitted at any time.
Approved animal care and use protocols should be renewed each year. Prior to the expiration date of a protocol, the Principal Investigator (PI) should complete a Protocol Renewal Form, and return to Dr. Gary Kwiecinski, LSC 292, by the expiration date.
Students and Animal Research
All students, undergraduate and graduate, must complete a Student Research Assistant Training Certification (revised 03/2020) prior to their involvement in any animal research protocol. This form is available through the ORSP website.
By signing this form the student certifies that they:
- have read the animal research protocol
- have watched the training videos on reserve at the library
- have completed the required CITI Lab Animal Welfare training (www.citiprogram.org)
- will not perform animal research without direct supervision until they have been properly trained
This form must be co-signed by the faculty member and returned to Dr. Gary Kwiecinski, LSC292. The form may be attached to the original animal research protocol or sent separately, as necessary. Students must complete a certification form for each research protocol they participate in.
Training in Techniques Required for a Protocol
Section 2.6 of the IACUC Protocol Application addresses competency in techniques to be used in the protocol. Are you competent in the techniques involved in this protocol? If not, how will you acquire the necessary expertise?
Policy
The Principal Investigator maintains full responsibility for the protocol. The Principal Investigator(s) or co-Principal Investigator(s) listed on protocols are required to be certified in any special techniques they propose to use in their studies. The Principle Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator must be proficient or include a plan to gain proficiency in all procedures affecting live animals. Documentation must be provided that adequate training will be provided for all persons working on the protocol, including the Principal Investigator, Co-Principal Investigator and student research assistants, if appropriate. Proficiency must be gained before the study can begin.
Training is required, as applicable, in
- Husbandry for the particular species involved in the protocol
- Procedures, including surgical, to be performed on the animals
In addition, procedures for assuring adequate supervision of those performing the techniques must be documented.
Procedures
The Principal Investigator is responsible for training and supervision when he/she indicates competency in the techniques. When the Principal Investigator is not competent in the techniques, University faculty/staff with the required expertise may provide the training and supervision through an arrangement with the Principal Investigator. ORSP will maintain a current list of faculty/staff competencies in animal procedures.
The Principal Investigator is required to either
- Train research assistant(s) in the special techniques intended to be used on live animals in the study, or
- Arrange for training of research assistant(s) by an expert in the special techniques intended to be used on live animals in the study.
The Principal Investigator, or co-Principal Investigator, will then be responsible to acquire the special techniques training from the research assistant(s).
Protocols will only be approved if Principal Investigator(s), or co-Principal Investigator(s) have an assurance of proficiency or a plan to gain proficiency on file with Dr. Gary Kwiecinski, LSC292..
If University faculty/staff are not available, or not competent in the techniques required, the Principal Investigator will arrange for specific training. The training plan must be approved by the IACUC prior to approval of the protocol. Training resources include faculty at other institutions, veterinarians, veterinary training programs, and local industry.
Costs associated with training for protocols will be paid by the Principal Investigator.
An IACUC Protocol Technique Training Certification must be completed for each person performing any specialized procedures (husbandry or surgical) for each protocol. This form must be signed by the authorized person performing the training, the Principal Investigator, and Dr. Gary Kwiecinski (LSC292), Animal Facilities Director. A list of persons authorized to perform procedures will be posted in Animal Facilities. (Note: This requirement is in addition to, not in lieu of, the IACUC Student Certification.)
Federal Regulations
Animal Welfare Act
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_welfare/downloads/awa/awa.pdf
USDA Animal Care Policy Manual
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_welfare/policy.shtml
Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/references/phspol.htm
Public Law 99-158, November 20, 1985 "Animals in Research"
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/references/hrea1985.htm
http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/labrats
Useful Websites
NIH Office of Animal Laboratory Welfare - http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/olaw.htm - Comprehensive website contains News Flashes and Archives, Policies and Laws Guidance, General Information, List of Institutions holding Animal Welfare Assurances, list of useful Links.
NIH Office of Animal Laboratory Welfare Tutorial - http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/tutorial/index.htm - A tutorial for new animal care and use committee members, institutional administrators, investigators, animal care personnel, veterinarians, or others who are interested in learning about the PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.
USDA Animal Welfare Home Page - http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_welfare/index.shtml - Animal Welfare's Mission is to provide leadership in establishing acceptable standards of humane animal care and treatment and to monitor and achieve compliance with the Animal Welfare Act through inspections, education, and cooperative efforts.
Animal Welfare Information Center - http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/ - Division of the USDA National Agricultural Library, providing information for improved animal care and use in research, teaching, and testing.
CITI (Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative) - http://www.citiprogram.org - The CITI Program is a subscription service providing research ethics education to all members of the research community. To participate fully, learners must be affiliated with a CITI participating organization.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) - http://www.avma.org
Report of the AVMA Panel on Euthanasia - http://www.avma.org/resources/euthanasia.pdf
American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) - http://www.aalas.org - AALAS advances responsible care and use of laboratory animals to benefit people and animals.
IACUC.ORG - http://www.iacuc.org - IACUC.ORG is an information resource for members and staff of institutional animal care and use committees. It is a link archive where online resources are organized by menus and submenus. Many who browse the Internet for IACUC resources may find it overwhelming to randomly sift through the enormity of Web sites and their online materials. IACUC.ORG was developed as an organizing tool to quickly point to a topic of interest, such as example protocol forms or disaster plans used by other institutions. IACUC.ORG is produced by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS).
Institute for Laboratory Animal Research - http://dels.nas.edu/ilar/ - The Institute for Laboratory Animal Research (ILAR) prepares authoritative reports on subjects of importance to the animal care and use community serves as a clearinghouse for information about animal resources develops and makes available scientific and technical information on laboratory animals and other biological research resources to the scientific community, institutional animal care and use committees (IACUCs), the federal government, science educators and students, and the public.
Scientists Center for Animal Welfare - http://www.scaw.com - SCAW's ongoing activities include providing information about, for example, regulations and guidelines, ethical issues, performance standards, protocol review, facility design, the relationship between people and animals in a research setting, and alternative research methods. SCAW organizes and conducts conferences and seminars that explore scientific and ethical matters related to research activities and animal well-being - these meetings are sponsored by SCAW and also in cooperation with other national and regional organizations. SCAW also provides educational information and materials to teachers and students on all levels who are exploring these issues. SCAW's publications are widely accepted.
Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research (PRIM&R) - http://www.primr.org -PRIM&R has been committed to the advancement of strong research programs and to the consistent application of ethical precepts in both medicine and research. Through national conferences and published reports, it has addressed a broad range of issues in research, clinical practice, ethics, and the law.
NIH Bioethics Resources on the Web - http://www.nih.gov/sigs/bioethics - This website contains a broad collage of annotated web links. The listed resources provide background information and various positions on issues in bioethics.Zoonoses
The following websites offer information on diseases (zoonoses) that can be contracted from animals by humans.
University of Pennsylvania: http://www.upenn.edu/regulatoryaffairs/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=29&Itemid=35
County Of Los Angeles - Department Of Health Services, Public Health Programs and Services - Disease Control Programs, Veterinary Public Health and Rabies Control Manual - Overview of Zoonoses - http://lapublichealth.org/vet/guides/vetzooman.htm
World Health Organization - Zoonoses and Veterinary Public Health (VPH): http://www.who.int/zoonoses/en
University of Wisconsin - Madison, School of Veterinary Medicine, Zoonotic Diseases Tutorial - http://svmweb.vetmed.wisc.edu/pbs/zoonoses/