The Animal Study Lifecycle

Getting Approval for your Animal Study

• Submit Your Protocol in the ORCA System

  Applications for the use of animals in

  a systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge.

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  , teaching or testing at UT Health SA are submitted to the IACUC via the Online Research Compliance Assistant (ORCA). 

  Online help for the

  abbreviation for the VPR's Online Research Compliance Assistant application.

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  System is available: Help documentation and instructional videos. You can also call the IACP office for assistance: 210-567-8260.

  The IACUC may use one of the following two processes when performing a review of your business item: 

  • Full Committee Review (FCR) by a convened meeting of the IACUC; OR 
  • Designated Member Review (DMR) by one or more IACUC members who are

    an experienced member designated by the Chair to review business items on behalf of the committee.

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    .

  The UTHSA IACUC routinely uses Full Committee Review for the following items:

  • New protocols involving

    abbreviation for the US Department of Agriculture

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    covered species
  • New protocols involving use of unalleviated painful or distressful procedures (i.e.,

    abbreviation for the US Department of Agriculture

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    Category E)
  • New protocols involving Deviations or Departures from the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals 

  The UTHSA IACUC may use Designated Member Review to review new protocols that do not meet the criteria for FCR.
• Other Committee Approvals

  a systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge.

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  step-by-step details of how a study will be conducted including objectives, design, procedures, measurements, management and analysis, as well as a discussion of relevant research ethics issues.

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  components will require review and approval by additional committees at UT Health SA or other institutions. 

  When the study involves	Committee approval required	Learn more
  A researcher who has a refers to situations where the individual has the opportunity to influence the Health Science Center's business, administrative, academic, research, clinical, or other decisions in ways that could lead to personal financial gain or advantage or could appear to cause bias in the design, conduct, or reporting of research or educational activities. read more (COI) related to the a systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge. read more	refers to situations where the individual has the opportunity to influence the Health Science Center's business, administrative, academic, research, clinical, or other decisions in ways that could lead to personal financial gain or advantage or could appear to cause bias in the design, conduct, or reporting of research or educational activities. read more Committee (COIC) If needed, a COI Management Plan is created by the COIC and forwarded to the designated IACUC for final approval.	Learn more about COI or submit a disclose in ERMS-COI
  Biologic hazards, microbiologic or viral agents, pathogens, cell lines, non- abbreviation for US Food and Drug Administration. read more approved vaccines, recombinant DNA, or human gene therapy	Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)	Learn more about Institutional Biosafety Committee
  Radiation exposure, radioactive materials, or radiation generating equipment	Radiation Safety Committee (RSC)	Learn more about the Radiation Safety Committee
  Use of certain hazardous chemicals that pose a significant health a potential harm described in terms of probability (chance) and magnitude (severity). read more to employees	Chemical Safety Committee (CSC)	Learn more about Chemical Safety Committee

  The Institutional Biosafety Committee, Radiation Safety Committee and the Radioactive

  1) a substance recognized by an official pharmacopoeia or formulary; AND
  2) a substance intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease; AND
  3) a substance (other than food) intended to affect the structure or any function of the body; AND
  4) a substance intended for use as a component of a medicine but not a Device or a component, part or accessory of a device.
  Note: biological products are included within this definition and are generally covered by the same laws and regulations, but differences exist regarding their manufacturing processes (chemical process versus biological process).

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  a systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge.

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  Committee are supported by the Environmental Health and Safety Department.  Learn more about Environmental Health and Safety Department
• Prerequisite Research Training

  All personnel involved with the care, treatment and use of laboratory animals must be adequately trained, educated and qualified to perform their duties. Training modules are available through the CITI Program. The DLAR Office offers several training opportunities including vivarium training and specialized training such as surgical techniques and breeding colony management.

  Learn more about the Training Requirements for Personnel