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Office of Animal Welfare

Biography

The Office of Animal Welfare (OAW) provides comprehensive support and guidance to the animal research community on matters related to Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) protocol development and ensuring regulatory compliance for the animal program. IACUC is responsible for assuring that the research and teaching animals at the institution are maintained with the highest level of welfare.

The Office of Animal Welfare (OAW) is the operational arm of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and serves as a support service for the research community. As such, the OAW performs the following:

Protocol Submissions

  • Completes administrative pre-review of Form A protocols and Amendments
  • Routes submissions to appropriate secondary reviewers
  • Coordinates pre-approval procedure site inspections
  • Confirms training for personnel

Semi-annual Inspections and Program Review

  • Coordinates IACUC inspections
  • Compiles inspection results along with resolution follow-up
  • Submits summarized program review to the Institutional Official (IO)

Animal Program and Welfare Oversight

  • Conducts post-approval monitoring visits (PAM)
  • Coordinates investigations into animal welfare concerns
  • Provides verbal reports of PAMs and animal welfare investigations to the IACUC through the IACUC Compliance Subcommittee

IACUC Administrative Support

  • Maintains IACUC meeting minutes and Committee deliberations
  • Completes grant-protocol congruency checks
  • Maintains ARIES and IACUC/OAW website
  • Facilitates training for IACUC members

Institutional Support (performed on behalf of the institution)

  • Submit the PHS annual report and self-report non-compliances, through the IO, to OLAW
  • Maintain the USDA registration and the PHS Animal Welfare Assurance
  • Liaise with various regulatory bodies (e.g., USDA, OLAW, DoD, AAALAC) and coordinate associated inspections / site visits