The DePauw University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee

Animal Use Protocol

Training and Occupational Safety

Federal regulations require that all procedures involving the use of vertebrate animals be approved by an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) prior to initiation of the project. The DePauw University IACUC provides oversight for the animal care and use program at DePauw, which encompasses any use of vertebrate animals. The committee reviews all studies involving animal usage and inspects animal care facilities semiannually to ensure compliance with internationally accepted guidelines in the care and use of laboratory animals. Prior to initiation of any research project, testing, education, or any other use of vertebrates (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds or mammals), the investigators must gain the approval of the IACUC .

The IACUC operates in accordance with guidelines established by the National Institutes of Health's Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW). Please consult the following if you have questions regarding the humane care and use of laboratory animals.

 

The IACUC Protocol Review Process

1. The first step in this process is to obtain a copy of the Animal Use Protocol Form (AUPF) from the Academic Affairs Office. The AUPF is completed by the investigator and turned in to IACUC through the Academic Affairs Office. The form is designed to allow research investigators to address animal welfare considerations as well as provide other information required by the Animal Welfare Act and other laws and policies of the federal government and other agencies. The investigator may obtain a copy of the Animal Welfare Act and guidelines of various agencies from the websites cited at the end of this document or by contacting the Academic Affairs Office. The investigator is required to complete all sections of the AUPF according to the instructions therein. Any investigations involving students must have a faculty supervisor as the principal investigator who must submit the form and take supervisory responsibility throughout the project.

2. The IACUC requires one original and one copy of the AUPF to be submitted. To ensure timely review, initial applications should be submitted one month prior to the intended initiation date of the project. Revised protocols should be submitted to the IACUC two weeks prior to the intended initiation date of the project.

3. The IACUC shall review and approve, require modification in, or withhold approval of the proposed project involving the use of animals. The person proposing the animal use will be notified in writing of the committee's decision, which will be one of the following:

    A. Approval - The project may commence.

    B. Approve/Revision - Minor revision or additional information is requested. Approval is withheld and the project may not commence until a satisfactory response is received.

    C. Disapproval - The reasons for disapproval are given, and the investigator may submit a revised protocol.

Prior to the review, each IACUC member shall be provided with a list of proposed research projects to be reviewed. Written descriptions
of research projects that involve the care and use of animals shall be available to all IACUC members, and any member of the IACUC may obtain, upon request, full committee review of those research projects. If full committee review is not requested, at least one member of the IACUC, designated by the chairperson and qualified to conduct the review, shall review those research projects and have the authority to approve, require modifications in (to secure approval) or request full committee review of those research projects. If full committee review is requested, approval of those research projects may be granted only after review at a convened meeting of a quorum of the IACUC and with the approval vote of a majority of the quorum present. No member may participate in the IACUC review or approval of a research project in which the member has a conflicting interest (e.g., is personally involved in the project) except to provide information requested by the IACUC; nor may a member who has a conflicting interest contribute to the constitution of a quorum.

4. The IACUC is authorized to suspend any project it has previously approved if it determines that the project is not being conducted in accordance with the approved project description provided by the principal investigator or is not in compliance with federal regulations or University policies pertaining to the care and use of animals and the health and safety of people working with animals. The IACUC may suspend a project only after reviewing the matter at a convened meeting of a majority of the IACUC members who, by a majority vote, issue the suspension.

Protocol Updates and Reapplications

Principal investigators should submit to the chair of the IUCAC, on the anniversary of the project approval, a project status report that notes any personnel changes, number of animals used, health status of animals, and any complications or difficulties that may have occurred. The biannual facilities inspections conducted by the IACUC include research labs. In their annual update, PIs should note any deficiencies found during the inspections and how and when they were resolved. Significant changes in approved protocols must be approved by the IACUC before they can be implemented.

Protocols are approved by the IACUC for a maximum of three years. To renew a protocol beyond the third year, the PI should submit a new Animal Use Protocol. Submission of this protocol should be timed so that the IACUC can approve it at a regular biannual meeting prior to the expiration of the original project.

Facility Inspections

The biannual inspection of facilities is conducted by the University veterinarian and the chair of the IACUC. The Laboratory Maintenance and Technical Assistant in the Psychology Department and the Biological Laboratory and Facilities Manager accompany the inspection of their areas, as do the scientists from those departments who serve on the IACUC. In those cases where a population is being kept for an IACUC approved research protocol, the faculty member directing the project will generally be in attendance for the inspection of that facility. At the conclusion of the inspection, team members briefly discuss any deficiencies found. The leader of the inspection team then provides an informal, preliminary report of the results of the inspection to the facility supervisor. A formal report of the inspection will be prepared by the IACUC chair and forwarded to the facilities supervisor. That report will identify deficiencies as minor or significant and will specify plans of corrective action that note the date by which each deficiency should be corrected. All deficiencies must be remedied by the correction dates specified in the report, unless a prior request for an extension of the correction date has been received and approved by the IACUC chair.

Membership of IACUC

The makeup of the IACUC is determined by federal guidelines. The committee is appointed annually by and reports to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Committee includes:

  1. A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, with training or experience in laboratory animal sciences and medicine.
  2. A faculty member and an alternate from the Department of Biology with experience in research involving animals.
  3. A faculty member and an alternate from the Department of Psychology with experience in research involving animals.
  4. A member whose primary concerns are in a nonscientific area.
  5. An individual who is not affiliated with the institution in any way other than as a member of the
    IACUC. This individual represents community interests and concerns.

No member of the committee may review a project in which the member has a conflict of interest, such as a role as a participant in the project. In this case the alternate will replace the regular committee member for this review.

The current committee members are:

  • Carol Steele, Academic Affairs, Chair of the IACUC, 765-658-6608
  • William T. Ferner, DVM, University Veterinarian, ferner@purdue.edu
  • Kevin Kinney, Biology Department, DePauw University, 765-658-6399
  • Carrie Van Brunt, Psychology Department, DePauw University, 765-658-6467
  • Ken Kirkpatrick, Registrar, DePauw University, 765-658-4146
  • David Greenburg, Community Member,

Reporting Concerns

DePauw University is committed to the humane care and use of animals in scientific research and instruction. Individuals who have specific concerns about the treatment of animals should report their concerns to the Chair of the IACUC (see above) or another of its members. If the concern may involve a violation of federal, state or local law, fraud, or violation of any University policy, the individual expressing the concern should consult the Whistleblower Policy: Protection for Those Reporting Fraudulent, Dishonest or Unlawful Behavior and report the concern to the appropriate University official. Individuals reporting concerns should be as specific as possible, noting the date, time, species involved, and names of University personnel. Concerns will be handled with the greatest possible confidentiality and may be reported anonymously.