Writing an IACUC protocol

Please review the following checklist to ensure that your Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) application materials are complete before you submit.

  1. Verify that the individual listed as Principal Investigator is eligible to serve in that capacity. See the guidance for Principal Investigator requirements. IACUC uses the same guidelines as the Institutional Review Board.
  2. Ensure that all study team members, including the Principal Investigator, faculty sponsor and all research personnel must complete all training requirements (CITI) and have received an occupational health clearance through the Occupational Health Surveillance System (OHSS). Individuals that will have direct, hands-on contact with animals, along with any individuals who may be named as co-authors on publications resulting from the research, should be listed in the protocol.
  3. Ensure that all other required regulatory committee approvals have been obtained or are in process, such as:
    1. Institutional Biosafety Committee – recombinant DNA, materials of human or non-human primate origin, toxins, select agents, etc.
    2. Radiation Safety Committee – radioactive materials
    3. Institutional Review Board – use of human subjects
    4. Environmental Health & Safety has oversight responsibility for all safety-related issues in research. Please contact Environmental Health & Safety for further information and guidance.
  4. Your Animal Use Protocol has been completed and submitted in the eProtocol software.

Veterinary consultations 

Consultation with Animal Resources veterinarians is required as part of the review process and should take place early in the protocol development process, prior to the submittal of the application to the IACUC for review.

Veterinary expertise is particularly helpful in the following areas:

  • Animal model and species selections
  • Refinement of surgical and non-surgical techniques
  • Therapeutic drug regimens
  • Appropriate use of sedation, anesthesia and analgesia
  • Pre-, peri- and post-operative care and monitoring
  • Specialized husbandry needs
  • Availability of vivarium space

Animal Resources veterinarians may also provide:

  • Guidance regarding study design and appropriate techniques
  • Guidance for alternative procedural endpoints and humane euthanasia
  • Training in appropriate handling and care of animals
  • Assistance in transferring animals from other institutions
  • Assistance in development of environmental enrichment to promote psychological well-being of higher species

Contact Animal Resources for more information.

Research congruency review

As a federally funded institution, the University of Nevada, Reno will hold all research conducted at the University to the same high standards required for federally funded research, regardless of funding source.

It is the responsibility of IACUC to ensure that all funded research protocols involving vertebrate animals awarded to University investigators are compliant with all of the IACUC requirements prior to the release of sponsored research funds.

All funded projects involving, or appearing to involve, research with animals will be reviewed for congruency with approved committee protocols. All research procedures outlined in the grant/contract must be covered in the approved protocol(s) and all oversight committee approvals must be secured prior to the release of research funds.

Congruency reviews are conducted by IACUC. The PI will be contacted if questions arise during the compliance review if additional information and/or clarification is needed. In cases where there is incongruence between a protocol and a funding award, the IACUC will request that a protocol submission or revision be made to address the differences to bring the two items into congruence. Once the congruency review is completed and approved, then the PI and Sponsored Projects will be notified.

Examples of additional information that may be requested if not readily available to IACUC include:

  • Project science, including specific aims of the research
  • Approved or submitted committee protocol number(s)
  • Animal research work scope
  • For collaborations, a clarification of the work scope with respect to the University of Nevada, Reno’s role in the project
  • For collaborations/subrecipients, if the Animal Subject Research is taking place at another university or entity, then the appropriate approval letter(s) will be requested
  • Additional research project clarifications as necessary

For questions or clarifications about this process or to request a grant compliance review, please contact IACUC. 

Is there a facility to support my research?

Prior to starting work, a facility will need to be matched with your research needs and equipment. Whether you intend to conduct biomedical, agricultural or wildlife research, Animal Resources seeks to partner with researchers early on in the planning process to make certain that the facilities needed to support research and equipment are available and ready for use at the time they are needed. The following contacts are listed for the various administrative units that can help you best plan your project:

As many funding agencies require documentation of IACUC approval prior to making an award, we strongly suggest submitting a protocol as soon as you receive an indication that the work will be funded. Finally, research funds cannot be released to the researcher until it is verified that an approved protocol is in place that is congruent with the research described in the grant application. The sooner the protocol is submitted to the IACUC for review, the better!

The Grants and Funding NIH scoring guidance is a useful tool to help researchers understand when there is a high likelihood of funding for a submitted grant proposal. Additionally, information regarding the peer review process can be found on the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) review process page.