Training
All animal research personnel must complete the following training modules and environmental health and safety requirements:
- Research Integrity
- Use of Laboratory Animals in Research and Teaching
- Animal Exposure Surveillance Program
- Agent Registration Workbook
Investigators using rodents in their teaching or research program must also complete the Small Animals Research and Training module. Investigators using large animals or primates in their research require video training. For more information, contact the IACUC training coordinator by phone (412-383-1737) or e-mail.
Submitting the proposal
All information should be sent to the IACUC office via e-mail. Once a new proposal is submitted, receipt is acknowledged within five business days. About two weeks later, the committee will send questions and concerns to the principal investigator. After the responses are submitted to IACUC, investigators should hear from the committee within two weeks. Additional questions and/or concerns may be raised at this time. The question-and-response cycle will continue until the committee is satisfied that the research meets all applicable IACUC guidelines. Renewals generally take less time and typically prompt fewer questions and concerns.
Grant-based requirements
For NIH grants, once you have received funding notification, you must submit additional forms to certify IACUC approval. The grant application review form, once certified by IACUC, is sent to the Office of Research. Only then will monies be released.
Additional IACUC information
IACUC has posted a number of sample protocols online to provide assistance with writing a protocol. In addition, the Guide for Animal Users details the IACUC process.
IACUC approvals and just-in-time procedures
The just-in-time protocol allows for certain types of grant application information to be submitted to NIH after initial peer review of a project that is deemed to be “within the range of possible funding.” For instance, just-in-time procedures “allow an applicant to defer certification of IRB approval of the project’s proposed use of human subjects, verification of IACUC approval of the project’s proposed use of live vertebrate animals, and evidence of compliance with the education in the protection of human research participants requirement until after completion of the peer review and just prior to funding,” according to the NIH Office of Extramural Research. IRB and IACUC approvals can be included with an application, if the investigator chooses to do so; if not, they must be submitted just-in-time. (Note that submitting other support information before it is requested may cause a delay in processing the application, or NIH may return the application without peer review.) If an IRB or IACUC number changes after initial submission, the updated information will be required just-in-time.
