The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is dedicated to the task of facilitating and assisting faculty in the conduct of research, teaching, and other activities involving the use of laboratory animals.

The committee consists of a minimum of 5 voting members from the faculty, administration, and community, and must include a scientist, a non-scientist, and a person unaffiliated with the university and its animal care program. The IACUC is responsible for assuring that all animal use complies with the Animal Welfare Act, Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, and all other applicable regulations, policies and procedures. Any use of animals at Augusta University without IACUC approval is a violation of Augusta University policy and federal law.

Functions

  • Semi-annual evaluation of the animal care program
  • Semi-annual inspection of facilities
  • Report to Institutional Official and OLAW
  • Advise on the animal care program, facilities and
    personnel training
  • Review animal use protocols
  • Review animal welfare concerns
  • Empowered to suspend animal activity in event of non-compliance
AAALAC accreditation logo

AAALAC Accredited

Fully accredited by AAALAC International effective March 27, 2024

AAALAC Accredited
OLAW approved logo

OLAW Approved

Approved by the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare: Assurance number D16-00197 (or A3307-01), effective August 31, 2023 through August 31, 2027

OLAW Approved

Contact Us

Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee

Health Sciences Campus

Interdisciplinary Research Center

1462 Laney Walker Blvd.
Augusta, GA 30912

706-721-0198

IACUC@augusta.edu

eSirius: ESIRIUS@augusta.edu

Animal Occ Health: animalohp@augusta.edu



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Animal Research Safeguards

Animal Welfare Responsibility

Responsibility for animal welfare at Augusta University ultimately lies with the University President.  These responsibilities are formally delegated as follows:

  1. The President appoints an Institutional Official (IO).
  2. The IO appoints the members and chair of the Animal Care and use Committee (IACUC), and has authority to allocate organizational resources needed to maintain a smoothly functioning animal care and use program based on the recommendations and advice received from the IACUC, the veterinarian, and the IACUC staff.
  3. The IACUC reports directly to the IO, through the IACUC Chair, and performs its duties without undue interference.
  4. The veterinarian, also a member of IACUC, reports directly to the IO in connection with his or her responsibility for implementing the animal care and use program.
  5. The IACUC office consists of staff to provide administrative support to the IACUC and the IO.
  6. Investigators submit animal use proposals to the IACUC for review and approval or disapproval, in accordance with Public Health Service Policy, the Guide, and Animal Welfare Regulations.

Committee Conflict of Interest Policy

No member may participate in the IACUC review or approval of a protocol in which the member has a conflicting interest or is personally involved in the project. A member with a conflict of interest may provide information requested by the IACUC, but may not participate in the discussion or vote. The conflicted member will be excused during the discussion and vote and their attendance will not be counted towards a quorum. If a member of the IACUC is excused because of conflict of interest, and a quorum is no longer present, a decision on the protocol will be deferred until the next meeting. The Chair or an IACUC committee member may request that a member be excused from committee deliberations on a specific protocol because of possible or perceived conflict of interest.

Compliance Enforcement

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) enforces Augusta University compliance with the Animal Welfare Act by conducting at least one unannounced inspection tours each year. IACUC records and the animal use facilities are examined. The Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) enforces the Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. OLAW makes announced inspections of animal care and use procedures at Augusta University. Either agency can request suspension of federal support for Augusta University's research efforts if the institution is found to be in violation of regulations.

The IACUC has been given oversight responsibility to enforce USDA regulations and the Augusta University Assurance of Compliance with Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals by federal regulatory law. The Animal Use Protocol (AUP) provides the basis for compliance and IACUC approval provides the assurance. Thus, investigators must closely adhere to the AUP for every aspect of animal care and use. Inappropriate animal care or treatment (including deviations from those approved in the AUP) will be investigated by the IACUC. An AUP can be suspended by a majority vote by the IACUC, an action, which by law cannot be reversed by an institutional official. OLAW is notified of such an occurrence whether or not the project is federally funded. The IACUC will notify the investigator of the corrective actions needed to reinstate the AUP.

The IACUC may temporarily stop, or suspend any activity that is previously approved if it determines that the activity is not being conducted in accordance with applicable provisions of the Animal Welfare Act, Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare or the USDA. The IACUC may suspend an activity only after review of the matter at a convened meeting of a quorum of the IACUC and with the suspension vote of a majority of the quorum present.

If the IACUC suspends an activity involving animals, the IACUC Chairperson will notify the Principal Investigator in writing. The IACUC Chairperson, the Director of LAS, and the Veterinarian shall convene a meeting of the concerned parties. Results of the convened meeting will be sent to the IACUC for final determination. The Vice President for Research will forward a full explanation of the incident and resulting action to the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW), other funding agencies and the USDA as required.

Reactivation of suspended AUPs will be part of the process in defining how long suspension will be in effect.

Veterinarian Suspension of Research Activity

The attending Veterinarian has the authority to immediately suspend IACUC approval if he or she has reason to believe that any animal is in danger. The attending Veterinarian will immediately notify the IACUC Chair in writing of any such suspension. The IACUC Chair shall call an emergency meeting of the IACUC to review the suspension.

Submission Deadlines & Full Committee Meeting Dates

The IACUC meets once per month to review protocol applications, major amendments, and exemptions. A minimum of three weeks is required to review protocols after submission. Protocols should be submitted two to three months prior to the anticipated research initiation date to allow enough time for the review and approval process.

The table below is a timeline for review of most protocols and major amendments submitted to the IACUC. Please note that while the timeline is usually followed, holidays, system constraints and other unexpected events may impact review and response deadlines

Note: Late submissions do not allow adequate time for distribution of protocols to the committee reviewers.

Submission Deadline (Noon) Meeting Date
Friday, October 20, 2023 Thursday, November 16, 2023
Friday, November 17, 2023 Thursday, December 21, 2023
Friday, December 15, 2023 Thursday, January 25, 2024
Friday, January 19, 2024 Thursday, February 21, 2024
Friday, February 16, 2024 Thursday, March 28, 2024
Friday, March 15, 2024 Thursday, April 25, 2024
Friday, April 19, 2024 Thursday, May 23, 2024
Friday, May 17, 2024 Thursday, June 27, 2024
Friday, June 21, 2024 Thursday, July 25, 2024
Friday, July 19, 2024 Thursday, August 22, 2024
Friday, August 16, 2024 Thursday, September 26, 2024
Friday, September 20, 2024 Thursday, October 24, 2024
Friday, October 18, 2024 Thursday, November 21, 2024
Friday, November 15, 2024 Thursday, December 19, 2024
Friday, December 20, 2024 Thursday, January 23, 2025
Friday, January 17, 2025 Thursday, February 27, 2025
Friday, February 21, 2025 Thursday, March 27, 2025
Friday, March 21, 2025 Thursday, April 24, 2025