Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee

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. Protocols involving USDA pain categories D or E will be reviewed by a full-committee review and must be submitted at least two weeks before the monthly meeting date to be included on the agenda. The IACUC is scheduled to meet on the second Thursday of each month. Additional information on the IACUC review process is available here. 

 

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. According to PHS policy, no research or teaching activities may be conducted beyond the expiration date. It is the principal investigator's responsibility to seek timely renewal and maintain the active status of their protocol(s). Principal investigators will be notified approximately three months prior to approval expiration. If a researcher is not aware of their protocol's expiration date, contact IACUCFREEMississippi. 

USM Animal Subjects Research Policy

Reporting Concerns: 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 guidance, click here.