Animals in Research, Testing, and Instruction at UNH
Overview
Manual for the Care and Use of Animals at UNH (PDF) *Updated 3/26/2008*
IACUC Application Materials and Resources *Updated 1/17/2008*
Frequently Asked Questions
IACUC Submission Deadlines, Meeting Schedule, and Review Process *Updated 12/19/2007*
IACUC Functions and Membership
Animal Resources Office
Regulatory and Background Information
Training for Personnel Involved in the Care and Use of Vertebrate Animals
Reporting Animal Care and/or Use Concerns at UNH
Approval of Facilities Housing Vertebrate Animals *New 6/7/2007*
The University of New Hampshire (UNH) Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is a standing committee responsible for ensuring the proper care, use, and humane treatment of vertebrate animals used in research, testing, and instruction at UNH.
The UNH Animal Resources Office (ARO) provides assistance to project directors in every phase of animal activity. The ARO promotes a cooperative and open relationship among project directors, administration, and regulatory bodies.
UNH’s Policy states
At UNH, all activities proposed to involve the care and use of live vertebrate animals must be reviewed and receive written, unconditional approval from the IACUC before commencing.
This policy applies to ALL research testing and instruction at UNH involving vertebrate animals, regardless of whether it is funded or not.
At UNH, there is only one level of IACUC review; review at a convened IACUC meeting. The IACUC meets once a month throughout the year to review new or modified studies involving vertebrate animals.
All applications for review by, and correspondence with, the IACUC should be directed to Research Conduct and Compliance Services (RCCS) in the Office of Sponsored Research (OSR), the administrative office of the IACUC. For forms, application information, project submission deadlines, administrative concerns, and general inquiries, contact,
Research Conduct & Compliance Services |
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Julie Simpson, Manager |
603-862-2003 |
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Kathleen Stilwell, Assistant |
603-862-3536 |
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IACUC Application Materials and Resources
To submit a study to the IACUC for review, the project director must complete and sign an application form, and forward it to Research Conduct and Compliance Services in OSR. PLEASE NOTE! Only permanent UNH faculty and staff members may serve as project directors for projects reviewed by the IACUC.
PLEASE NOTE! As of January, 2008, there are two different application forms: one for use of vertebrate animals in RESEARCH and one for use of vertebrate animals in INSTRUCTION. Please ensure that you use the correct form for your intended animal use. The new forms (dated 01/08) are required for all applications to the IACUC from March 2008 forward. If you experience trouble successfully downloading any of the documents below, please contact either or .
Application Forms |
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Application for Review of Vertebrate Animal Use in Research |
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Application for Review of Vertebrate Animal Use in Instruction |
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Surgical Procedures Form |
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Medical History & Risk Assessment Questionnaire for Persons Handling Vertebrate Animals and/or Unfixed Vertebrate Animal Tissues. |
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Resources to Assist in Completing UNH IACUC Application |
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2000 Report of the American Veterinary Medical Association Panel on Euthanasia |
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AGRICOLA Searchable Database (U.S. Department of Agriculture) |
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ALTWEB Searchable Database (Alternatives to Animal Testing, Refinement, Reduction and Replacement) |
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Experimental Design and Statistics in Biomedical Research, Institute for Laboratory Animal Research, Vol. 43, No. 4 [available for loan from ARO or RCCS] |
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IACUC Meeting Schedule and Review Process
UNH faculty and staff who plan to conduct research or instruction involving vertebrate animals must submit applications for IACUC review according to the schedule shown below. At UNH, there is only one level of IACUC review, which occurs at a convened IACUC meeting. The schedule applies to all projects involving vertebrate animals, and is subject to change. Contact RCCS staff (603-862-3536 or ) to confirm receipt deadlines and meeting dates.
Meeting Date |
Deadline for Receipt of Applications |
January 25, 2008 |
January 11, 2008 |
February 29, 2008 |
February 15, 2008 |
March 28, 2008 |
March 14, 2008 |
April 25, 2008 |
April 11, 2008 |
May 16, 2008 |
May 2, 2008 |
*Applications are reviewed in the order they are received in the RCCS office (first-come, first-served). While applications received on or before the appropriate deadline are normally reviewed at the next meeting, circumstances may arise that prevent the IACUC from reviewing an application within a month of receipt.
IACUC Functions and Membership
At UNH, the primary purpose of the IACUC is to ensure the proper care, use, and humane treatment of vertebrate animals used in research, testing, and instruction at the University.
The UNH IACUC
- Reviews all research, testing, and instructional projects involving vertebrate animals,
- Conducts semiannual reviews of the UNH's animal care and use program and facilities,
- Reviews and addresses concerns involving animals in research, testing, and instruction, and
- Serves in an advisory capacity to the Vice President for Research
Any research, testing, or instruction projects involving vertebrate animals that are sponsored by UNH, conducted by or under the direction of any UNH agents (faculty, staff, or student) in connection with his or her individual UNH responsibilities or involving the use of any UNH property or facility, or involving any collaborating, subgranting, or subcontracting individual or institution working with UNH, must be approved in advance by the UNH IACUC.
Review and approval by another IACUC does not negate the requirement for review and approval by the UNH IACUC.
Per federal regulations, the IACUC cannot approve a research study ex post facto. Conducting research, testing, or instruction with vertebrate animals at UNH without IACUC approval is a violation of UNH policy. Project directors conducting activities with vertebrate animals without IACUC approval are subject to the sanctions administered by the Vice President for Research and Public Service.
The IACUC is constituted according to federal regulations. Current IACUC members are
Kimberly Babbitt, Natural Resources
Jessica Bolker, Zoology - Chair
Robert Drugan, Psychology
Brett Gibson, Psychology
Ken La Valley,
Zoology & NH Sea Grant/UNH Cooperative Extension
Robert Mooney, Microbiology
Elizabeth Renshaw, Community Member
Lois Senecal, Community Member
Stacia Sower, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Robert Taylor, Jr., Animal & Nutritional Sciences
Roger Wells, NH Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory - Vice Chair
Kathryn Cataneo, Office of Sponsored Research*
Dean Elder, Animal Resources Office*
Julie Simpson, Office of Sponsored Research*
*Ex-Officio Non-Voting members
Animal Resources Office (ARO)
The Animal Resources Office (ARO) provides assistance to project directors in every phase of animal activity. The ARO promotes a cooperative and open relationship among researchers, administration, and regulatory bodies.
The ARO
- Provides technical support, consultation, and training for faculty, staff and students using or caring for animals at UNH,
- Provides veterinary services for animals used or cared for by UNH faculty, staff and students,
- Assists UNH project directors with the development of protocols for animal use, and
- Oversees UNH animal facilities to ensure compliance with federal, state, and University standards.
For information on the ARO and its services,for questions on veterinary care aspects of projects, and for information on per diem rates and costs associated with using space in the ARO facility, please contact:
Animal Resources Office |
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Roger Wells, Director |
603-862-2726 |
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Dean Elder, Associate Director |
603-862-4629 |
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Regulatory and Background Information on Vertebrate Animals in Research, Testing, and Instruction
Documents |
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Animal Welfare Act (AWA) |
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American Veterinary Medical Association Guidelines on Euthanasia |
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Manual for the Care and Use of Animals at UNH |
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Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (National Academy of Sciences) |
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Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (10/00) |
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Information |
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AGRICOLA Searchable Database (U.S. Department of Agriculture) |
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ALTIBIB Bibliographic Database (National Library of Medicine) |
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ALTWEB Searchable Database (Alternatives to Animal Testing, Refinement, Reduction and Replacement) |
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ASIH Guidelines for Use of Live Amphibians and Reptiles in Field and Laboratory Research |
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American Society of Mammalogists Guidelines for the Capture, Handling and Care of Mammals |
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Ornithological Council's Guidelines for the Use of Wild Birds in Research |
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Experimental Design and Statistics in Biomedical Research, Institute for Laboratory Animal Research, Vol. 43, No. 4 [available for loan from the ARO or RCCS] |
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Regulatory Testing and Animal Welfare, Institute for Laboratory Animal Research, Vol. 43, Supplement [available for loan from the ARO or RCCS] |
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Training for Personnel Involved in the Care and Use of Vertebrate Animals at UNH
UNH faculty, staff, and graduate and undergraduate students who are involved in the care and use of vertebrate animals are required to attend a general training session that is conducted semiannually by the IACUC, ARO, and RCCS at the beginning of each Fall and Spring semester (September/October, and February/March). (Click here for details of current semester training session [PDF file].)
This training session covers, but is not limited to, the following:
- The humane practice of animal care and use,
- Research or testing methods that minimize or eliminate animal use or limit animal pain and distress,
- Information sources for alternatives to animal research models, and
- Procedures for reporting concerns about animal care and/or use.
In addition to the general training session, training is offered to personnel on a regular basis via the following:
- Providing all individuals involved in animal care and use activities with a copy of the Manual for the Care and Use of Animals at UNH upon initial employment and after manual revisions,
- Meeting with individual UNH departments involved in animal activities to update regulations, provide information, and discuss concerns,
- Circulating written material as necessary to inform animal care personnel about new regulations or methods pertinent to animal activities,
- Offering individual instruction to project directors, technicians and students for specific techniques, including animal handling, surgery, anesthesia, and experimental manipulations, and
- Inviting UNH or external scientists to lecture on ethical and technical aspects of animal research.
UNH has an interactive, self-contained Web-based training module on the use of vertebrate animals in research and instruction. This module may be completed according to the individual’s own timeframe. Allow approximately 30 minutes to complete the module.
Training of all individuals utilizing animals is requested as part of the IACUC application review process, including years of experience with the animal model, and identification of the trainer, if applicable.
To request assistance with training, or for more information about vertebrate animal care and use in general, please contact Dean Elder, Associate Director, ARO, at 862-4629.
Reporting Animal Care and/or Use Concerns at UNH
Any individual who has a concern about the care and/or use of any vertebrate animal at UNH is encouraged to report the concern to any of the following:
Roger Wells, Director, Animal Resources Office
862-2726 or
Dean Elder, Associate Director, Animal Resources Office
862-4629 or
Julie Simpson, Manager, Research Conduct and Compliance Services
862-2003 or
Any member of the UNH Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
(membership on-line, http://www.unh.edu/osr/compliance/iacuc.html#function)
Unless otherwise directed by the individual reporting the concern, all reports will be processed ANONYMOUSLY.
