Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee

The Institutional Care and Use Committee (IACUC) reviews all activities involving vertebrate animals conducted at this institution, or at another institution as a consequence of sub granting or subcontracting.

What Investigators Need to Know About the Use of Animals

UNE IACUC Policy (2012)

Courses

• IACUC 101 Workshop
• Alternatives to Animal Testing
• OLAW PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals Tutorial

CITI Online Educational Requirements

CITI training is a training requirement. All investigators, research staff, and instructors are required to successfully complete the applicable training. Protocols submitted to the IACUC will not be accepted for review until this requirement has been fulfilled. Depending on your work with animals the training requirements will differ. If you need clarification about what training is required of animal care and use personnel it is your responsibility to contact the IACUC to seek clarification.

All investigators, faculty advisors, instructors and research staff are required to complete the CITI online training modules listed below: 

• The applicable “Responsible Conduct of Research Course "
• “Minimizing Pain and Distress”(for work with mice and/or rats) 
• Additionally investigators (including student investigators) and instructors must also complete the "Working with the IACUC Course".
• The "Aseptic Surgery" module should be completed by research staff including investigators who conduct major survival surgery or non-survival surgeries.
  

Species Specific Modules:

Species specific modules should be completed based on the availability of the module for the species you are working with. If you are working with rats you should complete the “I work with Rats” module. If you work with mice you should complete the “I work with Mice” module. If you work with both species you should complete both. If there is a species module available through CITI for the species you are working with then you need to take it. This is applicable to investigators, instructors and research staff.

If you do not already have a CITI username and password you will need to create one of your choosing. It is important that you affiliate with the University of New England so that your training can be tracked properly. You can enter and leave the training as you wish. You do not need to do the training all in one sitting. It is recommended that each lab and instructor keep an up to date training record in their lab/classroom with copies of completion reports.

Protocol Submission Requirements

• In addition to investigators (and when applicable instructors) all research staff should be listed on IACUC protocol submissions. The below training requirements should be completed within 36 months of the application date. Training requirements will be verified by the IACUC Administrator. Applications will not be processed or reviewed until this requirement has been fulfilled. In addition, so long as an approved protocol is active, investigators, instructors and research staff must update their qualifications at least every 36 months. This qualification must be maintained in order for investigators to continue animal activities. 
• Each submission must utilize the appropriate form on the IACUC website.
• Each submission must answer all questions fully and in sufficient detail to allow IACUC reviewers to make the determination required. 
• Each submission must be submitted in two formats, as follows:
  

1. Electronically to iacuc@une.edu  Word .doc or .pdf format is required.
2. A hard copy, with required signatures, to the IACUC Administrator, University of New England, Pickus Room 108, 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, ME 04005.

UNE Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee Forms

• IACUC Application (New Submission or De novo)
• IACUC Amendment Form
• IACUC Continuing Review Form
• IACUC Continuing Review Guidelines
  

Resources

• PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals
• Guide for Care and Use of Laboratory Animals
• Animal Welfare Act (CFR9, 1-3)
• U.S. Government Principles for the Utilization and Care of Vertebrate Animals Used in Testing, Research, and Training
• AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia
• How to Write an Application Involving Research Animals
• Recognition and Alleviation of Distress in Laboratory Animals
• Guidelines for the Care and Use of Mammals in Neuroscience and Behavioral Research
• Federal IACUC Guidebook
• National Institutes of Health OLAW

Any Questions should be directed to . . .

IACUC: iacuc@une.edu

Renee LeClair, IACUC Chair: RLeClair@une.edu (P) 207-602-2512
William (Lliam) Harrison, Research Compliance Specialist, IACUC Administrator: Wharrison@une.edu (P) 207-602-2244

University of New England Institutional Compliance

Compliance HOTLINE