Protocols and Amendments for Animal Care and Use
Animal Care and Use Protocols must be approved by the IACUC before any activities (research, teaching, or testing) are conducted on live, vertebrate-animals. The IACUC’s typical protocol turn-around time is about five weeks. More information can be found in the Policy “Protocol and Amendment Review Process“.
Protocol Submission
Protocols are submitted to the IACUC through the IACUC’s online protocol system. The Principal Investigator (PI) can authorize certain personnel to initiate a protocol, but it is always submitted in the PI’s name. The PI is notified when a new protocol is submitted to the IACUC, irrespective of who submitted the protocol on behalf of the PI.
The online protocol system will present a customized protocol form to the investigator based on the information provided by the investigator when beginning to complete a protocol. For example, if a protocol will not involve surgery or painful procedures, there will not be a box about analgesics. The PI and alternate contact can make revisions to the protocol while the rest of the personnel on the protocol roster have view only access.
Amendment to Protocol
If you need to make minor changes to a currently approved protocol, you can file an amendment using the online form, rather than submit an entirely new protocol. Changes to the protocol need to be approved by the IACUC prior to being implemented. Conducting procedures not approved in your protocol may lead to suspension of your protocol.
Protocol Personnel Rosters
In order to add a person onto a protocol roster, that person must first meet the ACU 101 training requirement as well as enroll in the Occupational Health program for animal care and use. If these two requirements are not met, that person cannot be added onto a protocol’s personnel roster.
Protocols and Grants
Most, but not all, granting agencies accept grant applications before the protocol has been approved by the investigator’s IACUC. If your protocol has been submitted, but is not yet approved, indicate to the granting agency that the protocol is “pending”. NIH and NSF normally allow sixty days for protocol approval after the deadline date for the grant. If no approval from the IACUC follows within sixty days of the deadline date for the grant application, the agency will normally discard your grant application.
Some funding agencies (such as American Heart Association) require a corresponding IACUC- approved protocol before the grant application is submitted. Investigators are responsible for knowing the requirements of their particular agency.
Enter the Online Protocol and Amendment System.
You will need a UC Davis Kerberos login and password to enter this system.
