Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)

1. Please go to https://www.aalaslearninglibrary.org

2. On the home page, click “SUBSCRIBE”.

3. Select: Yes, I have an Access Code.

4. Enter the access code “loyolastritch070107” and ‘Submit’.

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7. When enrollment is complete, select the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine Courses.

8. Select the track (topic) which best matches your course topic. 
Example: The course “Working with the IACUC non-VA version” is found in the “Basic Training”.

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10.    Contact us if you need to reset your password.

Please print your certificate or transcript and fax to X-69399 and/or send to us via e-mail to avalero@luc.edu or Pyoung4@luc.edu. 

Loyola IACUC requires staff to recertify every three (3) years.
The Hines VA IACUC Meeting requires staff to recertify every three (3) years.

Required levels of training:

All individuals listed on a protocol, including those without animal contact, including the PI and Co-PIs require:
1)    Basic Training.
2)    Occupational Health.

Occupational Health Training. Staff working under with Laboratory Biosafety Level 1 and 2 level, must take the Orientation to Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories, 6th Edition. Others, the Occupational Health and Safety in the Care and Use of Research Animals.

All individuals with animal contact ALSO require:
3)    Species Specific Training
4)    Anesthesia/Analgesics Training where applicable
5)    Surgical Training where applicable
6)    Post-Procedure Care where applicable Euthanasia experience needs to be listed in the ACORP.

Group Profile

IACUC COMMITTEE CHARGE

1. The IACUC is charged with oversight of all animal use to ensure compliance with national policies protecting the welfare of laboratory animals. A major function of the commit is to review experimental protocols and, where appropriate, recommend protocol modifications to improve the welfare of the animals. Additional functions include: reviewing animal husbandry conditions; reviewing, approving, and disseminating institutional policies on animal welfare and psychological well-being; acting as an educational resource to the institution on animal welfare issues; and promoting educational
   
   
2. The Committee reports to the highest research official in the institution (Vice-Provost for Research, Meharvan Singh, PhD.).
   
   
3. A broad range of expertise is included in the Committee membership. Balance is provided by having as members veterinarians with training or experience in laboratory animal medicine; practicing scientists from several scientific disciplines (including an expert on pain, where possible); and persons representing community
   
   
4. All members of the Committee accept the goals of the Institution and have a strong commitment to ensuring the highest standards of animal
   
   
5. Clear institutional policies have been established on specific responsibilities of the IACUC, departmental chairs, attending veterinarian, investigators and their
   
   
6. Animal protocols require review by the IACUC prior to and Principal Investigator acquiring any research animal(s). Procedures should be developed to ensure timely protocol review so that investigators are not held up by unnecessary delayed
   
   
7. All purchase orders must include and approval protocol number before they may be acted on. Principal Investigators should not move animals into or out of the Institution without the authority of a designated official responsible to the
   
   
8. A veterinarian specializing in laboratory animal medicine or other appropriately trained members of the committee review the protocols and present them to the IACUC. Such an individual can clear up many queries by contacting the Principal Investigator prior to IACUC meetings, flag potential problems, and follow projects as they develop. This will facilitate IACUC review(s) but, does not substitute for or reduce Full Committee Review (FCR)
   
   
9. The extent of review(s) of an experimental protocol depends on the nature of the animal procedures proposed. Copies of all requests are available to all Committee Members for review; and all action(s) taken administratively must be affirmed by the Committee at the following IACUC meeting.
   
   
10. IACUC review(s); all work involving the use of animals, respective source(s) of funding (departmental, private, or public) or purpose (pilot projects; biomedical, agricultural, or wildlife research; testing; or education).
    
    
11. Committee records establish compliance with Federal policy and accreditation A system for follow-up and monitoring of approved studies ensures compliance with Committee recommendation and re-review every three (3) years.
    
    
12. The Committee considers and applies, where feasible, the concepts of Russell and Burch’s three Rs when reviewing protocols. These are:
    
    a. Refinement of experimental procedure(s) to reduce animal harm or distress.
    b. Reduction in number(s) of animals used, and
    c. Replacement with procedure(s) involving use of organisms lower on the phylogenetic scale or with non-animal model(s).
    d. Of the three, refinement can be widely applied immediately. Committees look for opportunities where modification(s) of the experimental procedure(s) would benefit the animals’ welfare. For example, the Committee could help establish a defined earlier end-[point (i.e., euthanasia when certain criteria are met) to reduce the severity or duration of a pathological condition(s). Appropriate protocol modification(s) enhances the scientific validity of results by removing or reducing animal
    
    
13. If euthanasia is planned, the Committee reviews the procedure(s) to ensure compliance with standards set forth by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals 2020
    
    
14. IACUC has their own Institutional Policies on certain procedures involving extreme pain or distress to an
    
    
15. The IACUC provides advice on training needs for Principal Investigators and other personnel. The Committee can act as a resource on national and local courses, workshops, and seminars available on the welfare of laboratory animals. Adapted from American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS).

LUC HSC IACUC Amendment
Amendment Review Process

Animal Welfare Act and USDA Regulations https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalwelfare/sa_awa

USDA Animal Care Policy Manual
https://naldc.nal.usda.gov/catalog/7219640

Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals https://olaw.nih.gov/policies-laws/phs-policy.htm

Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (2011)
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/guide- for-the-care-and-use-of-laboratory-animals.pdf

OLAW provides guidance and advice in the form of Notices, FAQs, articles, and commentary.

This guidance represents the current thinking of OLAW on these topics. Link: https://olaw.nih.gov/guidance

OLAW Regulatory Guidance
https://olaw.nih.gov/policies-laws

OLAW FAQs
https://olaw.nih.gov/faqs#/guidance/faqs

U.S. Government Principles for Utilization and Care of Vertebrate Animals Used in Testing, Research, and Training

https://olaw.nih.gov/policies-laws/gov-principles.htm

Health Research Extension Act of 1985 https://olaw.nih.gov/resources/tutorial/intro.htm#:~:text=The%20Health%20Research%20Extension%20 Act,of%20Laboratory%20Animals%20(Policy%20).

https://olaw.nih.gov/policies-laws/hrea-1985.htm

AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals: 2020 Edition https://www.avma.org/sites/default/files/2020-02/Guidelines-on-Euthanasia-2020.pdf

https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/avma-policies/avma-guidelines-euthanasia-animals

UC San Diego Policy on the Use of Animals in Research and Teaching https://adminrecords.ucsd.edu/ppm/docs/100- 6.html#:~:text=All%20research%2C%20testing%2C%20and%20training,approved%20by%20the%20ca mpus%20veterinarian.

University of California Policy on the Use of Animals in Research and Teaching https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/2500494/AnimalUse#:~:text=The%20University%20of%20California%20rec ognizes,for%20human%20and%20animal%20diseases.

AAALAC FAQ.
The newly restructured FAQ page includes new and revised questions related to the 8th edition of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (NRC 2011). Link: https://www.aaalac.org/accreditation-standards/faqs/

AAALAC Accreditation
https://ori.hhs.gov/association-assessment-and-accreditation-laboratory-animal-care-international-aaalac

Guidelines for the Use of Fishes in Research (2014)
https://fisheries.org/docs/wp/Guidelines-for-Use-of-Fishes.pdf

Roles of the IACUC

• Clearly articulate policies and procedures so that everyone understands
• Implement regulations using scientifically sound, performance-based
• Establish effective training programs that are
• Assure the public of quality animal care and use
• Oversees and evaluates entire animal care and use
• Ensures compliance with guide, policy, and
• Represents institutions and
• Serves as a local oversight arm for APHIS/AC, NIH/OLAW, and AAALAC International.

Components of a Quality animal Care and Use Program

• Research Team
• Institutional Official
• Research
• IACUC
• Animal Care Staff (AV and technical staff)
  • Continuation
  • Termination
• Three-year cycle
  • Resubmission if needed

1. Every animal used in research, teaching or testing at the LUCHSC must be included in an approved Animal Care and Use Protocol on file with the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.
2. You must complete and submit a Personnel Qualifications Form, and your qualifications must be approved by the Animal care and Use Committee (IACUC) Office before handling or working with animals. Each person must complete the appropriate courses online and be adequately trained in each species and each procedure that he/she/they will perform. Please click on the link: AALAS Learning Library Access and Courses.
3. You must minimize potential pain and distress in animals by:
   • Being trained in properly animal handling
   • Choosing alternatives to live animals whenever possible
   • Providing for proper housing and behavioral needs of the animals
   • Follow appropriate guidelines for procedures that are likely to cause pain or distress
   • Knowing how to determine if the animal is experiencing pain or distress
   • Utilizing appropriate anesthetics and analgesics for painful procedures, or justify to the IACUC why they cannot be used
   • Use aseptic technique and proper procedures when performing surgery
   • Provide appropriate post-procedural care
   • Perform euthanasia of animals using approved methods
4. You must be aware of the hazards you are working with and receive the appropriate safety training.
5. You must be aware of the various regulations and guidelines that affect animal use at
6. You must follow the Animal Care Program policies and procedures
7. All animals must be ordered through the Comparative Medicine
8. You must submit an amendment BEFORE you make any changes to an approved animal use protocol.
9. Learn about Occupational Health Program and policies and
10. Know who to contact for questions about:
    • Animal Use Protocols IACUC office
    • Animal Ordering from CMF Business Office
    • Animal Husbandry CMF Area Supervisor
    • Veterinary Care CMF Veterinary Staff
    • Biohazardous substances

IACUC Protocol Review Cayuse Checklist