Animal Research

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All research involving live vertebrate animals must be reviewed and approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) before the initiation of the research and before a research award can be accepted.

Guidelines

The University of Notre Dame recognizes an inherent obligation that all research utilizing animals is performed with strict adherence to federal guidelines and with the utmost concern for the welfare and well-being of the subjects.

The federal government and University policy require that the care and use of all vertebrate laboratory animals be monitored by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). IACUC review and approval is required when animals are used in any research studies and instructional programs. The University of Notre Dame has an approved Assurance of Compliance on file with the National Institutes of Health, Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare.

Submitting an Application

On behalf of the University of Notre Dame, the IACUC monitors the care and use of all vertebrate laboratory animals in research studies or instructional programs. Therefore, in compliance with federal law and institutional policy, all research involving live vertebrate animals must be reviewed and approved by the IACUC before the initiation of the research and before a research award can be accepted.

Please review the following guides for step-by-step instructions on how to navigate the eProtocol system, create and submit a protocol, amend an approved protocol, and print a PDF version of the protocol:

  1. Intro and Overview to eProtocol
  2. Creating A Protocol
  3. Submitting A Protocol Application
  4. Responding To Reviewer Comments
  5. Amending An Approved Protocol
  6. PDF And Print A Protocol
  7. Clone (Copy) A Protocol

Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee

The federal government and University policy require that the care and use of all vertebrate laboratory animals be monitored by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). IACUC review and approval is required when animals are used in any research studies and instructional programs.

Appointed Members

  • Rebecca Wingert, Ph.D., (Chair) Elizabeth and Michael Gallagher Family Professorship in Adult Stem Cell Research and Associate Professor, Biological Sciences
  • Iris Bolton, DVM, Attending Veterinarian and Director of Freimann Life Sciences Center
  • David Boone, Ph.D., Adjunct Professor, Biological Sciences
  • Deborah Clements, (Local, Non-Affiliated) Owner, Heatherwood Equestrian Academy 
  • Eric Felde, JD, CIP, Director, Research Compliance
  • Jennifer Knowlton Compliance & Tech Lead Professional, Freimann Animal Care Facility
  • Xin Lu, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Biological Sciences
  • Jennifer Robichaud, (Vice Chair) Director of Undergraduate Studies, Biological Sciences
  • Thersea Sikorski Highbaugh, Non Aquatic Lead Professional, Freimann Animal Care Facility
  • Amanda Synder, Assistant Director of Laboratory Safety, Risk Management and Safety

Upcoming Meeting Dates

The IACUC meets once a month. New protocols should be submitted at least 10 days before the meeting for review. Protocol renewals and amendments should be submitted at least 5 business days before the meeting.

To view the upcoming meeting dates, please visit the IACUC Meeting Calendar. To stay up-to-date on meeting dates (subject to change) and submission deadlines, click the "+ Google Calendar" in the bottom right-hand corner to add this calendar to yours.

Training

For information on Animal Research Training, please visit Notre Dame Research Training.

Occupational Health Disclosure

The Animal Welfare Act and PHS Policy additionally require the implementation of an occupational health and safety program to identify health hazards related to animal care and use and protect against them. One component of that program requires a disclosure related to pre-research medical evaluation. This disclosure must be completed by any individual who enters the Freimann Life Sciences Center, or any other animal laboratory on campus. The two versions of the disclosure form are described below, and their use depends on each person's planned activities.

For more information about the Occupational Health Program, please review the following documentation:

Category A

Those working with live or dead whole animals (except exclusively aquatic species), animal tissue, fluids, and materials from potentially biohazardous animals must complete the Medical and Occupational Health History Form for Animal Exposures - Category A through OnBase.

Category B

Those working with only aquatic species, freshly harvested animal tissues/fluids from non-biohazardous animals (animals not infected with a biological agent), or requiring non-animal contact access to an animal facility must complete the Medical and Occupational History Form for Animal Exposures – Category B through OnBase.

Non-affiliated Health Disclosure

Those individuals who need to access Notre Dame animal facilities (e.g., research collaborators from external institutions, facility maintenance personnel, etc.) must also complete an occupational health disclosure. Please email compliance@nd.edu to describe your duties, and request the paperwork to complete this process.

Need More Information?

For questions regarding animal research, please contact compliance@nd.edu. For relevant forms, codes, and policies, please visit the Resource Library