All investigators planning to utilize vertebrate animal for research or education, regardless of source of funding or format of the project submission, must submit a protocol for approval. The application must be submitted to the SVSU IACUC through the website www.irbnet.org . Required forms are available below for download.
The United States Department of Agriculture has put forth guidelines that are to be used as a reference for the inspection of USDA registered research facilities. The USDA has outlined different inspection procedures, as well as laboratory requirements that must be followed when animals are used in research, including the proper upkeep and maintenance of animals for their welfare. The USDA also outlines responsibilities for the IACUC to follow and uphold. The link is available here. You can also visit the IACUC webpage at http://www.iacuc.org.
An IACUC Member's Guide to Animal Facility Inspections is a free, online course primarily intended for persons sitting on an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) who conduct mandated inspections of animal facilities for compliance with U.S. regulatory standards. This includes veterinarians, scientists, public committee members, and administrators. The course can be used as primer for new committee members, as a resource for more veteran members, or it may function as a field guide when loaded on a mobile computer.
The course addresses the regulatory requirements for animal facilities, including housing, surgery, cleaning, and storage areas. Each area is presented in a 360-degree panoramic image containing some commonly inspected items. The module provides tips for inspecting items and links to relevant regulatory documentation. Users may test their understanding with questions provided for each inspection item and with a quiz after completing the virtual tours. The time needed to complete the session is approximately 90 minutes, but may be longer depending on links to additional resources that are accessed and reviewed. This introductory course is not intended to be comprehensive. The course can be accessed via the Office of Research Integrity's web site http://ori.dhhs.gov . Later it will be housed in the RCR education section under Animals.
Electronic Application Form
As an ethical and responsible institution of higher education, SVSU must assure its various constituencies that it is using reasonable care and judgment in the care and use of animals for purposes of teaching and research. SVSU recognizes that animals are necessary in certain research activities and that some students must be trained in the appropriate care and use of animals in preparation for future employment or graduate education.
SVSU uses test methodologies that are the standards of health and safety regulatory agencies worldwide. When laboratory animals must be used, they are cared for by professionals and handled with dignity. While SVSU uses no animals regulated by law, all animals will be cared for and used in accordance with applicable regulations within the constraints of available resources. Furthermore, to insure that animal testing is necessary and reasonable, SVSU has an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee that reviews the well-being of our laboratory animals and the tests in which they are used.
SVSU participates in several organizations that obtain and share safety data and seeks to find test methods that are acceptable alternatives to live animal tests. SVSU’s commitment to animal welfare includes the minimization of the number of studies that require the testing of laboratory animals and reduces the number of animals used.
All investigators conducting animal research as well as IACUC Members are required to complete appropriate training no less frequently than every three years. The means of accomplishing this training is through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) hosted by University of Miami. The training is free; your access to the training is underwritten by SVSU. Investigators can download instructions for registering and completing the training by clicking on CITI Training (PowerPoint) (1,367kB) or CITI Training (PDF). (2,196kB) . The training can be accessed via the URL www.citiprogram.org . The CITI Program also contains modules that may be useful to those teaching either a research methods course or a clinical practicum. Please contact the IRB Chair (David Berry, (989) 964-4504, iacucchair(at)svsu.edu ) or the Manager Post Award Grants and IRB (Julie Decker (989) 964-4941, jadecker(at)svsu.edu ) with any questions.
Investigators should complete the module "Working with IACUC" and the module for their respective species. Those who wish to know more about the IACUC, are contemplating serving on the IACUC, or are actively serving on the IACUC should complete the "Essentials for IACUC Members" curriculum.
A new All About Grants Podcast produced by the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) features Dr. Pat Brown, Director, OLAW, who explains what must be included in your grant application if you use vertebrate animals in your research. Listen to Writing Your Vertebrate Animal Section (MP3) or read the transcript .
The Animal Research Minute
A daily radio editorial broadcast to more than 3,500 stations nation wide, The Animal Research Minute discusses the top animal research story of the day. Listen to learn about how animal research leads to improvements in human and animal health.
ResearchSaves invites you to share your experiences with disease and your opinions of animal research. Has animal research saved or improved your life? What new cures are you hoping for? Share your story. Post your comments, pictures and videos here.
