Education & Training Subcommittee: This subcommittee is charged with creating and updating the educational program in the Health Science Center for the care and use of laboratory animals. The responsibilities include development of didactic or laboratory courses, acquisition of external educational resources, and the organization, assessment, and expansion of the program.

Inspection Subcommittee: This subcommittee is charged with conducting the semi-annual inspections, which are required by the Public Health Service and the Animal Welfare Act, of LAR facilities and all satellite facilities where animals are housed or used for research or teaching. The responsibilities of the subcommittee include the timely organization of the inspections, recording of any violations, and submitting a report, through the Chairman of the IACUC, to the Institutional Official. This subcommittee will act as a liaison between the IACUC and LAR for recommendations necessary for maintaining the quality of the animal care facilities at the Health Science Center. It is used for continuing education/training by disseminating information regarding new guidelines, policies and/or interpretations and to gauge investigators/staff awareness of the Guide, regulations, and occupational health/safety issues.

Occupational Health Subcommittee: This subcommittee is charged with monitoring the requirements for the Occupational Health Program for Personnel with Substantial Laboratory Animal Contact. The responsibilities of the subcommittee include continual review of the federal guidelines for occupational health and integrating these requirements in the HSC program. This subcommittee will act as a liaison between the University Physician's Group and the IACUC for implementation of the requirements of the program. The subcommittee will also monitor the continuing success of the program.

Special Housing Subcommittee: This subcommittee is charged with assessing the special housing and care needs of animal research protocols. The responsibilities of the subcommittee will be to review special housing requests, make recommendations on priorities for special housing to the IACUC, and conduct routine review of approved housing requests. This subcommittee will interact with LAR to provide guidance on investigator needs for special housing. They will also review and attempt to expedite solutions to housing situations which are inconsistent with the institutional guidelines for the care and use of research animals.

Surgery Subcommittee: This subcommittee is charged with monitoring the Guidelines and use of the Experimental Surgery Facility as it pertains to animals used for research or teaching. The responsibilities of the subcommittee will be to act as a liaison between the IACUC and the Department of Surgery to facilitate the use of the surgical suite. This subcommittee will maintain a periodic review of costs and investigator usage, and make recommendations to the IACUC concerning these aspects of the facility. They will also interact with the Education and Training subcommittee to provide training in proper methods for use of the facility.

Veterinary Care Subcommittee: This subcommittee discusses aspects of veterinary care as they relate to IACUC function and responsibilities, it reviews and act on any concerns relayed to the IACUC regarding the welfare and treatment of animals at the UTHSCSA.

. . . .

Other:

Departmental Animal Research Officers Liaison: This individual is charged as a liaison between the individual DAROs and the IACUC. He is responsible for maintaining and expediting the lines of communication between the IACUC and the individual DAROs. The Liaison is positioned to act as an initial IACUC resource for the DAROs for dealing with questions and/or concerns about the care and use of laboratory animals by members of the academic departments.

Protocol Discussion Group: This group is not a formal Subcommittee; it is all the members of the IACUC whose scientific background should enable them to read and understand the research protocols. They are responsible for the review of all protocols for the use of animals in research and/or teaching conducted at the HSC, or conducted by HSC personnel at an off-campus location, for compliance with the Animal Welfare Act, the National Institutes of Health Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, and the Public Health Service Policy on the Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. Its purpose is to provide a forum whereby committee members can meet to receive information, ask questions, and raise concerns regarding a submitted protocol. These concerns/questions can then be discussed with an investigator prior to the IACUC meeting to facilitate review of the protocol. No public business/voting occurs during this meeting. Due to the volume of protocols submitted to the IACUC for review, all scientific members of the Committee, with the exception of the Chair and the Director of Laboratory Animal Resources, are members of this group.

. . .

Return to IACUC page | TOP of page