The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is responsible for oversight of the care and well-being of animals used for research and teaching at St. Edward’s University.   The IACUC is also committed to assisting investigators in the development of sound policies to govern the humaneness of animal research and to ensure compliance with national policies.

Why must we have an IACUC?

All institutions that use vertebrate animals for research, teaching, research training and/or biological testing are required to create an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) to oversee and evaluate all aspects of the institution’s animal care and use program. The IACUC is a self-regulating body which derives its existence from two sources:

1. The Animal Welfare Act and its amendments, which are administered by the USDA through the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), and
2. The Health Research Extension Act and its amendments, which are administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW)

What is the composition of the IACUC?

The IACUC must be comprised of a minimum of five members including:

• an Institutional Officer
• a veterinarian with program responsibilities
• a scientist experienced in laboratory animal procedures
• a non-scientist (ethicist, lawyer, etc)
• a non-affiliate (a person who has no other affiliation with the organization other than sitting on the IACUC committee and represents the concerns of the community.)

Click here for a list of current IACUC members.

The IACUC meets jointly with the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), typically once or twice per semester.

What are the responsibilities of the IACUC?

The responsibilities of the IACUC include, but are not limited to:

1. Inspect all of the animal facilities, including animal study areas and satellite facilities at least once every six months.
2. Review the university’s program for the utilization of animals in research at least once every six months.
3. Review and approve, require modifications to, or withhold approval to animal care and use protocols.
4. Review and approve, require modifications to, or withhold approval of proposed significant changes to ongoing protocols.
5. Review and investigate legitimate concerns involving the care and use of laboratory animals resulting from public, employee or student complaints.
6. Suspend an activity involving animals if non-compliance is verified; take corrective action and report non-compliance to funding agencies.