Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee

IACUC Review Process at Southern Miss

Animals used in research and educational activities must be treated humanely and in accordance with widely accepted best practices and principles. Federal law requires prior review and approval of all activities involving live vertebrates by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). Applicants must complete the Application, applicable Application Appendices, and the Application Signature Page and submit electronically as email attachments to  IACUCFREEMississippi. Review of applications takes two to six weeks. 

CITI Training

• Researchers must have non-expired CITI certificates for both the Animal Subjects Research Course and the Common Course. This includes faculty members supervising student theses requiring IACUC approval and members of the IACUC Committee.  
• All USM faculty, staff, postdoctoral fellows, and students (undergraduate & graduate) who conduct animal subjects research reviewed by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) are required to complete an additional CITI course, Research Security Training (Combined). The course is now available through CITI and must be completed annually, and included with all IACUC protocol submissions. 
• IACUC protocols are approved for a maximum of three years. For projects extending beyond the expiration date, a De Novo (new) request using the IACUC Application form must be submitted.  Principal investigators will be notified approximately one month prior to approved protocol expiration. If a researcher is not aware of their protocol's expiration date, contact %E2%80%AFIACUCFREEMississippi%E2%80%AF%C2%A0

Animal Subjects Research Policy 

• Concerns and inquiries concerning noncompliance and possible mistreatment of animals in USM’s Animal Research Facilities may be made confidentially by submitting an Adverse Event Form to IACUCFREEMississippi.  Anonymous complaints may be submitted here. 
• In keeping with USM Animal Subjects Research Policy and USM IACUC SOP 8, complainants are protected from nondiscrimination and retaliation. To access IACUC forms and policy, click here.

If you have questions or need assistance, feel free to contact our team members directly:

Donald%20Sacco, PhD, Interim Director                               ext. 6.6747
Lisa%20Wright, PhD, MPH, Senior IRB Analyst                     ext. 6.5997