Animal Care and Use
Do I need IACUC Review?
With few exceptions, all use of live vertebrate animals in research and teaching requires prior review and approval by the IACUC. IACUC review is accomplished following submission of an Animal Care and Use Protocol Review Application (ACUPRA) that details the proposed activities.
Types of live vertebrate animal activities that require IACUC review include:
- Activities conducted by faculty and staff of CSUMB as part of their CSUMB responsibilities, or non-CSUMB PIs as described by contractual agreement between CSUMB and the non-CSUMB entity;
- Activities conducted by students to satisfy a requirement of the University for a class or degree program;
- Activities performed on premises owned or rented by CSUMB;
- Activities performed using CSUMB-owned animals, CSUMB or CSUMB-administered grants & contracts, facilities, or equipment.
- Activities that use bait to attract an animal for research purposes including direct observation and photography.
Submit a Tissue ACUPRA for activities involving carcasses, tissues, cells or fluids when live animals were not manipulated expressly for the purpose of obtaining those materials. Materials may be obtained from animals euthanized as part of another approved protocol, another research institution, samples used for diagnostic purposes, commercial sources, salvaged animals (including wildlife with appropriate permits) from road kill, euthanized by private veterinarians, animal shelters, rehabilitators
Some activities do not require IACUC oversight.
- Studies that involve unobtrusive observation of animals in their natural habitats do not require IACUC oversight.If the study has a potential to cause harm or materially alter the behavior of the animals, then IACUC oversight is required.
- No IACUC oversight is required for the use of privately-owned pets as models in a live art class.
- No IACUC oversight to study of the interaction between people and registered therapy dogs. IACUC oversight is required if a dog is manipulated in the study or if samples are collected directly from a dog (e.g., blood samples from the dogs to test stress hormones).
If you are unsure, send your question to research_dean@csumb.edu with “IACUC” in the subject line.