Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)

Applications for the use of laboratory animals in research are available in the office of the Director and Head Veterinarian of the NYSPI Animal Care Facility. Each principal investigator must complete an application to receive IACUC approval before ordering any animals. The investigator submits a completed IACUC application to the Director, who discusses the experimental protocol with the investigator, reviews it, and assigns it a permanent log number. If the Director finds that a protocol meets all applicable guidelines, he indicates his approval on a signature sheet and assigns one of the IACUC members as primary reviewer. All other IACUC members serve as secondary reviewers; each one is sent a copy of the protocol and a signature sheet. The primary reviewer reads and evaluates the protocol, consulting with the principal investigator and the Director as necessary, then sends his or her review to the Director. Secondary reviewers are also required to review the protocol, noting any questions or concerns they have about the protocol on the signature sheet, then to return that sheet to the Director.

Protocols will be approved if they meet all guidelines, conform to all standard operating procedures of the Animal Care Facility and are approved by the IACUC members. If the animal use protocol is not satisfactory, either the Director or the primary reviewer and the investigator of the reviewer's comments advises the investigator regarding modifications. Such modifications may pertain to the selection of animal models, animal restraints, anesthesia, euthanasia, justification for the number of animals, unnecessary duplication, possible alternatives, research sources consulted, and any other points necessary to ensure that all animals will be treated humanely. If the protocol would cause the animals pain, the Director recommends alternative procedures to avoid or minimize pain. The investigator is required to respond to all concerns raised by the primary and secndary reviewers and make the appropriate changes. If, at any stage in this process, the principal investigator feels that the modifications required in the protocol are not justified, he or she has the right to request a full committee hearing. At such a hearing, all IACUC members will have read the application, grant proposal, and any additional materials submitted. The principal investigator will be asked to present the rationale for any disputed procedure. The final decision will be made by a majority vote. Minority votes will be recorded. Each IACUC member also has the right to call a full committee review of a protocol at any point in the review process.

If the primary and secondary reviewers have no concerns regarding the animal protocol, or following the investigator's adequate response to reviewer's concerns, a notice of approval is sent to the appropriate business office (RFMH, Howard Hughes Medical Institute or Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons). In addition, a letter of assurance, signed by the Administration Director, Mr. Steven Papp, and the IACUC chairman, is sent to the appropriate granting agency. A copy of the assurance letter is also sent to the investigator to let him/her know that they could start making the proper arrangements to start their work with animals.

If an investigator submits an animal protocol for studies that do not involve an outside granting agency (for example, a pilot study or an internally funded study), the same procedures will apply with respect to submission and evaluation.
For approval to conduct primate research, the protocol must have been favorably reviewed by a granting agency or an ad hoc committee appointed by the director of the NYSPI.

IACUC Forms (University of Houston) [PC] [Mac]

The 7^th Edition of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals is now available.
Download it now from the Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources web site.