Institutional Animal Care and Use

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All institutions that use vertebrate animals for research, teaching, research training and biological testing are required to create an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) to oversee and evaluate all aspects of the institution’s animal care and use program. IACUC members are appointed by the University’s chancellor. The IACUC is a self-regulating body which derives its existence from the Animal Care Act and Health Extension Act and its amendments, which are administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW).

The mission of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is to assure the well-being and proper care of all vertebrate animals used for research and education purposes at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. It serves the public by ensuring institutional compliance with all legal and ethical standards regarding the use of animals in research.

Investigators must have a protocol approved by the UNC Asheville IACUC before obtaining animals or conducting any project involving research, teaching or testing using live, vertebrate animals.

Our Position

The IACUC adheres to the belief that the development of knowledge necessary for the improvement of the health and well-being of humans as well as other animals requires in vivo experimentation with a wide variety of animal species. In particular, the IACUC observes the principles espoused in the Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals:

  • Procedures should be designed and performed on the basis of relevance to human or animal health, advancement of knowledge, and/or the good of society.
  • The appropriate species, quality, and number of animals should be used.
  • Discomfort, distress, and pain should be avoided or minimized in concert with sound science.
  • Appropriate sedation, analgesia, or anesthesia should be used.
  • Humane and experimental end points should be established.
  • Appropriate animal husbandry should be directed and performed by qualified persons.
  • Experimentation on living animals should only be conducted by or under the close supervision of qualified and experienced persons.

Additionally, the IACUC advocates the use of animal alternatives as described by the 3 Rs in The Principles of Humane Experimental Techniques (Russell & Burch, 1959), specifically:

  • REPLACEMENT of animals when possible,
  • REDUCTION in animal numbers used, and
  • REFINEMENT of the animal procedures to minimize discomfort as mush as possible

We also believe in a fourth R – RESPONSIBILITY

Currently, IACUC review applies to vertebrate animals. However, it is assumed that invertebrate species will be handled with the same degree of care and concern.

Schedule

IACUC Meeting Dates and Deadlines

All research and teaching activities involving vertebrate animals must be covered by an approved IACUC protocol. Please use the following guidelines to determine what should be submitted to the IACUC.

IACUC Meetings

To be considered for an IACUC review, all new protocols and 3-year renewals should be received prior to the first of the month. Amendments are accepted for review on a rolling basis, however specific amendments may be brought to the monthly committee meeting. For more information on amendment submission, contact Louis Toms.

All protocols and protocol related documentation must be submitted by the PI through IRBNet. IACUC staff cannot submit on behalf of the researcher. Expiring protocols cannot be administratively extended. If submitting a 3-year renewal it is always wise to allow at least 2 months for protocol review and approval.