Prior to the initiation of any animal procedures, all research, teaching and training involving the use of vertebrate animals at the University of Iowa must be approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). Use of vertebrate animals must be reviewed by the IACUC to ensure compliance with Public Health Service (PHS) Policy (administered through Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare, OLAW), Animal Welfare Regulations (administered through USDA-APHIS), and The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (administered through accrediting body, AAALAC).
The IACUC is charged with a number of functions, including (but not limited to):
- Review and approve, require modification to, or withhold approval of an Animal Protocol
- Review and approve, require modification to, or withhold approval of an amendment to an approved Animal Protocol
- Perform semi-annual inspection of animal facilities and support spaces
- Perform semi-annual review of the institution’s program of animal care
- Proper recordkeeping and reporting
- Review concerns involving animal care and use at the institution
(a nice summary of the IACUC’s functions can also be found in the IACUC Committee Guidebook, section A.2. Table B. Federally Mandated Functions of the IACUC)
- PHS Animal Welfare Assurance (D16-00009, A3021-01)
- Registered United States Department of Agriculture research facility (USDA No. 42-R-0004)
- Accredited by AAALACi (#000833, since November 1994)