IACUC News and Updates

During the recent semi annual program review,  the IACUC team identified deficiencies in our program related to training. Per The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, “All personnel involved with the care and use of animals must be adequately educated, trained, and/or qualified in basic principles of laboratory animal science to help ensure high-quality science and animal well-being.” At this time our program is not able to fulfill this requirement.

To ensure all personnel working on a protocol or directly with animals in research, testing and/ or teaching have sufficient minimum training requirements we will be instituting species specific training modules. These courses will be available through the CITI Program and assigned via Reporter, similar to the current “Working with the IACUC”. 

Starting July 15th, 2025, the first three modules will be activated: 

“Working with Mice in a Research Setting”, “Working with Swine in a Research Setting”, and “Working with Rabbits in a Research Setting”. 

New protocols or 3 year rewrites with one of these species will be required to complete the course prior to protocol approval. 

As our program grows, our goal is to evaluate the status of these changes and add more species specific modules to ensure training is provided for all relevant species. We will continue to update users as this new requirement evolves.

RED has a new rodent breeding page that covers breeding schemes, weanlings, transgenic lines, etc. This is required for all new protocols or 3 year rewrites. Ongoing protocols may be requested to complete this new section at the discretion of the IACUC Office. If you have any questions reach out to iacuc_office@ncsu.edu.

Vehicle Use Form

The Vehicle Use Form has been created for all research staff that wish to use any vehicle, including trailers. This form is to be signed and sent to the IACUC office prior to the use of vehicles to transport animals. Failure to do so will result in suspension of animal related activities until permitted to resume by the IACUC. Vehicles must be made available to the IACUC for inspection if requested. Vehicles will be inspected semiannually at facility inspection OR scheduled with driver, if fleet or personal vehicle.

Updated Procedures and Guidance

Our Procedures and Guidance page has updated standards and guidelines. We update on a rotating three-year basis, so please check them regularly.

• Acquisition and Disposition of Animals used for Outreach, Research and Teaching
  • This standard defines acquisition and disposition for animals. 
  • Provides guidelines and acceptable methods for acquisition
  • Provides guidelines for disposition of live animals and their tissues
• Assessing Tumor Burden and Appropriate Time for Euthanasia in Animals
  • This standard describes how to assess tumor burden and the appropriate time for euthanasia.
  • Provides a background for the various tumors, inoculation, induction, or spontaneous development.
  • Discusses how to monitor, document, and determine endpoint for tumors
  • Provides a scoring system to determine tumor and endpoint.
• Blanket Protocols
  • This standard defines/describes  “blanket” approval for animal use where procedures can be described but specific treatments and/or animal numbers are not yet determined.
  • Outlines IACUC required descriptions 
  • Details expectations for amendments
• Classification of Animal Use by Pain and Distress Categories
  • This standard defines the pain and distress category information to be provided by investigators when they submit an application.
  • Provides examples of the different pain and distress categories.
• Drop Method for Inhalational Anesthesia/Euthanasia in Rodents
  • This standard provides guidance in the proper use of a sealed container for rapid anesthetization of mice or rats and safety of the user. All researchers and animal handlers engaged in the use of isoflurane for short-term (usually 30-60 seconds) anesthesia or euthanasia of rodents, without the use of a vaporizer.
  • Reviews proper setup for drop method.
  • How to properly monitor animals and determine depth.
  • Ensure human safety by providing safety steps.
• Environmental Enrichment
  • This standard defines/describes environmental enrichment requirements for university-owned animals.
• Non-pharmaceutical-grade Compounds in Live Vertebrate Animals
  • This standard defines what a pharmaceutical grade compound or agent is and how to justify and describe a use of non pharmaceutical grade compounds in an IACUC protocol.
  • Discusses the clinical and research use of the compounds
  • Describes common dilutions and combinations
• Photography and Videography of Animals
  • This standard provides guidelines for capturing of both still and moving images of animals owned by NC State.
  • Includes general considerations for all images 
  • Describes taking images of animals for education or research purposes, clinical veterinary purposes, or for documentation of animal welfare concern
• Required Health/Medical Record Keeping for Research and Teaching Animals
  • This standard describes Regulatory guidelines and standards of adequate veterinary care that impose certain requirements for health/medical records. 
  • Communicating with the University Attending Veterinarian
  • Documentation requirements for animal identification and health records.
  • Timeline for record retention and disposition.
• Restraint in Vertebrate Animal Studies
  • This standard defines restraint types and requirements that must be met for prolonged restraint in non-sedated animals at NC State.
  • Defines momentary vs. prolonged restraint.
  • How to document restraint in approved protocol.
• Surgeries on Non-USDA Rodents and Other Species Used in Research or Teaching
  • The purpose of this standard is to clarify the requirements of the Principal Investigator (PI) and the Institution concerning procedures with anesthesia, including surgery, on species not covered by the USDA, such as rodents, fish, amphibians, birds (to include poultry), and reptiles.
  • Reviews the requirements for preparing the patient and surgical space
  • Discusses how to properly monitor and document a patient intraoperatively and post-operatively
• Surgeries on USDA-Covered and Agricultural Species used in Research or Teaching
  • The purpose of this standard is to clarify the requirements of the Principal Investigator (PI) and the Institution concerning procedures with surgery on species covered by the USDA and in agricultural settings.
  • Reviews the requirements for preparing the patient and surgical space
  • Discusses how to properly monitor and document a patient intraoperatively and post-operatively
• Transport of Animals
  • This standard provides guidance on safe transportation of animals across NC State facilities and between NC State facilities and off campus sites.
  • Outlines acceptable methods of transport
  • Describes how animals must be transported outside of a vehicle
  • Describes the proper use of motor vehicles for transporting
• Use and Expiration of Medical Materials
  • This document provides guidelines for use of medical materials, including drugs, supplies, and devices. It also defines expired medical materials and their proper use.
• Use of Tribromoethanol (Avertin)
  • This standard describes tribromoethanol Avertin and the proper handling of the compound.