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Animal Care and Use Program

General Information

Emergency Phone Numbers

In case of police emergencies, fire, medical emergencies, chemical spill/release, radioactive spills, please call the following emergency numbers:

Animal Emergencies

During regular working hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mon.-Fri.) call the Vivarium at 5-4570 for New Brunswick/Piscataway or 7-9650 for Camden.

During times other than working hours (including weekends and holidays), call Public Safety at 5-4586 for New Brunswick/Piscataway or 7-7777 for Camden.

Resolution of Animal Care and Use Concerns

A person that has an animal care and use concern has a responsibility to promptly contact the appropriate individual to discuss and resolve the issue.

Concerns related to the humane care and use of laboratory animals should be brought to the attention of the Director of the Vivarium or the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). Formal complaints must be in writing and addressed to the IACUC Chairman. A subcommittee of the IACUC will investigate the issue and present the matter to the full IACUC for discussion. A written report will be forwarded to the Dean by the IACUC.

Animal husbandry concerns should be discussed with the Vivarium Supervisor in the area. If the concern is unresolved the Vivarium Manager should be contacted. If the issue remains unresolved contact the Vivarium Director.

Mission Statement, Assurance, Accreditation and Registration

The mission of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School includes educating physicians and other health care professionals, conducting research in the basic sciences, and providing high quality health care to the community. The animal care and use program serves a vital function in the health related research and teaching conducted at the medical school by ensuring that all research programs and teaching meet the highest standards of science, safety, service, and humane care as it relates to the use of research animals.

All animals used in institutionally approved activities will receive appropriate care and use according to Public Health Service policy, recommendations and guidelines contained in the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, and applicable provisions of the Animal Welfare Act. Adequate veterinary care including provision for emergency, weekend and holiday care is provided according to currently accepted professional standards. The program of veterinary care is directed by a full-time veterinarian who is a diplomate of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine.

The Institution's PHS Animal Welfare Assurance number is A3328-01. The medical school is fully accredited by AAALAC and is registered by the USDA (registration no. 22-R-066).

Occupational Health and Safety

The Institution has established a comprehensive program for the occupational health and safety of personnel who care for and use laboratory animals as required by PHS policy, federal, state and local regulations and university policy.

Organization

Line of Authority

At UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, institutional responsibility for compliance with animal welfare regulations and policies resides with the Dean. The line of authority passes through the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee at the Piscataway/New Brunswick campus, the Associate Dean for Research and the Associate Dean at Camden.

Attending Veterinarian

Federal law requires that institutions that use animals in research and teaching have an Attending Veterinarian associated with their animal care and use program if the program is federally funded. The Attending Veterinarian:

• Must have the appropriate educational and training qualifications.
• Has direct or delegated authority for activities involving animals.
• Must be a member of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).
• Is responsible for providing adequate veterinary care to the animals. The research facility shall assure that the Attending veterinarian has adequate authority to ensure the provisions of adequate veterinary care and to oversee the adequacy of other aspects of animal care and use.

Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee

The Animal Welfare Act (and its amendments) and the Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, otherwise known as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Policy, require an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) to oversee the animal care and use program. This committee must be composed of at least five members and include:

• An individual unaffiliated with the institution.
• A veterinarian with program responsibilities.
• A practicing scientist experienced in research involving animals.
• A member whose concerns are in a non-scientific area.

An Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee has been established at the Piscataway/New Brunswick site. This IACUC shall make recommendations to the Associate Dean and to the Dean regarding any aspect of the Institution's animal care and use program. Specific responsibilities of the IACUC include:

• Semiannual review of the institution's program for the humane care and use of animals.
• Semiannual inspection of all institutional animal facilities.
• Review of all proposed uses of vertebrates for research and teaching.
• Review and development of institutional policy on care and use of laboratory animals.
• Review of specific concerns or complaints about animal care or use.
• Making recommendations to the responsible administrator regarding all aspects of the campus animal care and use program.
• Authority to suspend any activity involving the use of animals which is not being conducted in accordance with the NIH Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (the Guide) standards, or with applicable laws, regulations or institutional policies.

Animal Protocol Preparation and Review

Preparation of the Application

1. Before preparing the accompanying IACUC application, decide if you will use Hazardous Chemicals, Radioactive Materials, infectious Agents, Toxins, Pathogens, or Recombinant RNA/DNA. These require separate applications to be filled out and filed with the RWJMS Safety Committee, EOHSS, and IACUC before the IACUC application can be approved. All forms can be submitted at the same time to avoid delays. Please contact EOHSS, at (732)-235-4058, for forms/guidance in preparing the appropriate documents.
2. The importation and receipt of biological materials of foreign origin may require a USDA permit and/or may be subject to Public Health Service Quarantine Regulations. Biological materials include recombinant materials and products, cells, serum, etc.
3. If you are filing a new IACUC application that replaces an existing approved IACUC application, indicate that number on the new application, in the box in the upper right corner of page 1, on the line marked "Tracking #."
4. A "short form" application is the only requirement for:
1. Biological Specimens outside UMDNJ-RWJMS.
2. Contract antibody production.
5. The IACUC application is designed to elicit a detailed description of your proposal to use vertebrate animals in research, testing, or teaching. Vertebrate animals cannot be used until the IACUC has reviewed and approved your proposal. The application must be prepared carefully and completely to facilitate IACUC review. All applications must be typed. The applications become part of the permanent records maintained by the Committee and therefore are subject to inspection and review by various granting agencies. Do not provide complete copies of grant applications, as much of the information is not needed by the IACUC. You may submit additional pages; however, the format is designed to be self-contained. Versions of the application form other than the most recent revision (080103) will be returned without review.

Assistance with Writing Protocols

1. For administrative procedures contact the IACUC, Research Office, Room 109, Piscataway Campus
   Phone: 732-235-4055
   Fax: 732-235-5534).
2. For veterinary consultation concerning any proposed use of animals including assistance in selecting appropriate anesthetics, analgesics, postoperative care regimens, etc., contact the Vivarium, RB-01, Piscataway (732-235-4570).

Who is eligible to apply?

You must be a member of the RWJMS faculty to apply. Residents and Fellows may apply through faculty members. Instructors applying for UMDNJ Foundation grants and other extramural funding, for which they are eligible, should submit relevant IACUC applications. Exceptions will be considered by the committee on an individual basis.

Continued Annual Approval

Each approved application must be reviewed annually. A request for continued approval will be mailed to the Principal Investigator one (1) month prior to the protocol anniversary date. The Principal Investigator is required to indicate procedural and/or administrative changes to the IACUC for continued approval [Office of the Associate Dean for Research, RWJMS, Piscataway, (732) 235-4055]. A new application is required after three years.

Protocol Changes or Modifications

Significant changes/revisions to an approved IACUC protocol require a detailed written request (letter format) to the Committee for review. A change in species requires a new application form.

Literature Search for Alternatives to Painful Procedures

Databases such as Medline are suitable to search for alternatives to painful procedures.

Submission of the Application

The original and twenty (20) copies of the completed application should be sent to the Office of the Associate Dean for Research, RWJMS, Piscataway, (732) 235-4055. University policy requires that the application be submitted to the IACUC no later than the time the relevant grant application is submitted for processing and mailing to the sponsor. A completed application must be filed for each species used.

Routing of the Application

The initial review of the application will constitute evaluation by the Chairperson of the IACUC, the RWJMS Veterinarian, and other assigned IACUC members prior to full Committee review.

A written summary of the initial review will be sent to the Principal Investigator who is responsible for returning a written response to the IACUC prior to a full IACUC review. The written response may involve modifications to the proposal or require additional information.

IACUC Meetings

The Committee usually meets on the last Tuesday of the month, and to be considered, applications must be submitted at least four (4) weeks prior to the meeting. Responses to reviewers' comments must also be submitted at least two weeks prior to the meeting to be considered. Call to confirm the meeting date.

Institutional Endorsement

Many funding agencies require certification by an authorized institutional official stating that research involving animals as described in the application has been approved by the IACUC. The Associate Dean for Research, RWJMS, Piscataway, will provide the applicant with the appropriate documentation of the IACUC's approval.

Vivarium

Summary of Facilities

UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Vivarium has approximately 48,000 gross square feet of specifically designed and constructed animal facilities located at two sites in central and one site in southern New Jersey. The Vivarium is responsible for the husbandry and/or veterinary care for all vertebrate animals maintained for research and teaching at these facilities.

Access to the animal facilities is restricted to protect animals and research from interference from unauthorized personnel and to protect UMDNJ-RWJMS's employees, students, and the general public from unnecessary exposure to potential hazards. Faculty and staff are expected to assist in enforcing the policy and to report exceptions to the Department of Public Safety. Access to the animal facilities is restricted to authorized personnel only. Computerized card keys are issued to individuals in order to gain access to the animal facilities.

Animal Procurement

All animal orders must be placed by the Vivarium to meet reporting and record keeping requirements of the Animal Welfare Act and granting agencies. A fully approved animal use protocol must be on file prior to ordering animals. Animals from non-commercial sources such as other institutions cannot be acquired unless approved by the Vivarium Director.

Program of Veterinary Care

The program of veterinary care includes:

• Daily assessment of animal health
• Prevention, control, diagnosis and treatment of animal disease and injury
• Consultation with faculty on anesthesia, analgesia, handling, restraint, postoperative care and euthanasia
• Provision for emergency veterinary care including nights, weekends and holidays

The attending veterinarian and his staff should be used as a resource to help the investigator provide humane care. Vivarium personnel are available to offer technical assistance to faculty and their staff.

Veterinarians and veterinary technicians are available to perform procedures such as drug administration, body fluid collection, anesthesia, necropsy, euthanasia and surgical assistance. To arrange for these services, please contact the Vivarium office. Services may require payment by the investigator.

The Director of the Vivarium and his staff provide individualized training to faculty and their technicians upon request. Contact the Vivarium office for assistance. The Vivarium maintains a library of animal use reference material including books, journals, and videotapes. These materials are available for review by faculty, staff and students.

© 2004 ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON MEDICAL SCHOOL, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, 675 HOES LANE, PISCATAWAY, NJ 08854