IACUC Policy and Procedures

The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is appointed by the Provost of the university to ensure compliance with Federal regulations (Department of Agriculture 9 CFR parts 1 and 2; Public Health Service 99-158) concerning care and use of vertebrate animals in research and teaching activities. Any type of activity involving live vertebrate animals must be approved by the IACUC Committee prior to acquisition of animals or initiation of any research or laboratory exercise. Projects which may involve such activities include but are not limited to grant proposals, laboratory class exercises, thesis/dissertation research, and independent laboratory research.

Questions can be directed to the W&M Research Compliance at researchcompliance@wm.edu.

Protocol Review Process

For every project involving vertebrate animals, the principal investigator(s) is required to use the SPARCS product, "Animal Oversight."

Period of Approval

Projects and protocols are approved for the anticipated duration of the activity, up to a maximum period of three years, with a requirement for annual review. If you would like to continue research with the protocol past the three-year renewal period, a De Novo Review will be submitted to extend the protocol's approval dates. Each renewal submission must include a current search for alternative methods.

The Emergency Contact Form should be attached to the submission and posted on the lab door.

Continuing (Annual) Reviews

Should projects extend longer than one year from the date of initial approval, materials must be submitted to the IACUC for annual review through the SPARC IACUC system up to 4 weeks before the review/expiration date to allow processing time.

Requests for Protocol Modification (Amendments)

Changes to a protocol must be submitted using the SPARCS system and approved by IACUC before implementation of any modification to a protocol. Included under this policy are changes in personnel. The purpose of these reviews is to ensure the university remains in compliance with the Animal Welfare Act including the provision of necessary training of personnel.

NOTE: Submitting a continuing review does not replace the amendment process and vice versa. If you would like to make changes to you protocol at your continuing (annual) review, an amendment and continuing review must be submitted. These processes can be done simultaneously.

Training

All personnel working with live vertebrates must receive sufficient training in all procedures in which they will participate to ensure that animals are properly cared for and maintained. New faculty, staff, and students are required to complete the CITI IACUC modules, along with any other applicable species or technique modules before beginning work with animals. Student and staff training will be supplemented by the principal investigator who is responsible for maintaining his/her own training level.

The Adjunct and Associate Adjunct Veterinarians will provide training, as needed, to any investigator who wishes to engage in surgical techniques with which they are unfamiliar. It is the principal investigator's responsibility to maintain training records for themselves and any other participants working under their approved protocol. Training records must be provided for inspection by any oversight authority including the IACUC.