Office of the Vice President for Research

Animal Care & Use Committee

The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee is mandated by federal law to oversee the University's animal care and use program, facilities, and procedures and to ensure the appropriate care, use and humane treatment of animals being used for research, testing, and education. The IACUC is also responsible for reviewing all animal use protocols, ensuring compliance with federal regulations, inspecting animal facilities and laboratories, overseeing training and educational programs, and ensuring that investigators are covered by an occupational health program. The IACUC also serves as a resource for faculty, investigators, technicians, students, and staff, further ensuring that all research, teaching, and testing are conducted in accordance with the highest scientific, humane, and ethical principles. At the University of Virginia, the members of IACUC are appointed by the Institutional Official, the Vice President for Research.

Before any investigator purchases, obtains, or works with vertebrate animals, an animal research protocol must be submitted for review and approval by the UVA IACUC (ACUC).

ACUC Office Hours: 

Help session for all ACUC questions available upon request

  • Please email Mary Riggins (msr5p) or Silvia LaRue (sil5t) for mutually convenient appointment
  • Conducted via telephone or Zoom Teleconference
  • Calls are welcome anytime; however, ACUC Office Hours by appointment provides longer sessions

Important Links

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Training

Meetings

Occupational Health

Policies

Laws & Regulations

Protocols

Responsibilities of the IACUC

  • Inspect all of the animal facilities, including animal study areas and satellite facilities at least every six months.
  • Review the animal use program for the utilization of animals in research at least every six months.
  • Review and approve, require modifications to, or withhold approval to animal care and use protocols.
  • Review and investigate concerns involving the care and use of laboratory animals resulting from public, employee, or student complaints. (Serious or continuing non-compliance will be reported to the appropriate agency.)
  • Suspend an activity involving animals if non-compliance is verified; take corrective action and report non-compliance to funding agencies.
  • Make recommendations to the Institutional Official regarding any aspect of the institution's animal program, facilities, or personnel training.

The IACUC Office:

  • Supports the work of the ACUC. 
  • Assists investigators in completing animal use protocols and answering questions. 
  • Sends out notices of protocol renewals.
  • Provides administrative pre-review of protocols.
  • Sends out notices of occupational health assessment renewals. 
  • Schedules meetings and compiles the minutes of the IACUC meetings. 
  • Prepares all approval letters. 
  • Prepares all grant certifications. 
  • Verifies completion of all training and occupational health requirements.
  • Maintains, updates, and submits official IACUC data, records, and reports.

 


 Fully accredited by:

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What investigators need to know about the use of animals (OLAW)

 

USDA Annual and Inspection Reports   Research Core Facilities