Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee

Core Values

The IACUC committee is responsible for ensuring animals throughout MTSU’s research and teaching programs are cared for and used humanely, guided by PHS policy and the 3Rs (replacement, reduction, refinement). These principles guide our work and ensure that we uphold the highest standards in all our research activities.

IACUC Roles & Responsibilities

The primary role of the IACUC is to provide regulatory oversight for animal use in activities related to research, testing, or teaching. The IACUC also conducts routine audits and inspections of University facilities to ensure compliance with the University’s assurances.

Annual Report – The IACUC compiles and delivers an annual report to the Institutional Official (IO) at the end of each calendar year, summarizing the two semi-annual reports. This report is forwarded to the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW).

Semi-Annual Inspections – A team of voting and non-voting IACUC members conducts bi-annual inspections of all animal facilities at MTSU. An exhaustive checklist is used to determine compliance with federal regulations. The IACUC makes recommendations for correcting deficiencies and takes immediate action if recommendations are not implemented.

Semi-Annual Program Review – In addition to inspections, the IACUC reviews policies and procedures at convened meetings. Action items are identified and assigned to appropriate individuals. A report summarizing the current status and challenges of the animal program is drafted.

IACUC Membership

Voting Members

• Chair – The leader of the oversight program who ensures the review processes are fair. The chair does not need to be a scientist but is responsible for fostering constructive discussions.
• Attending Veterinarian (AV) – A trained and experienced professional in laboratory practices and animal medicine who serves as a liaison to animal sciences. The AV critiques animal treatment and provides expertise on animal welfare.
• Scientist – Expert(s) in animal research with strong scientific knowledge, responsible for critiquing, assessing, and proposing alternatives to the proposed activities involving animals.
• Nonscientist – A person without a scientific background who provides critical ethical perspectives, advocating for research subjects from a nonscientific viewpoint.
• Nonaffiliated Member – A community member not affiliated with MTSU, often a nonscientist, who provides unbiased views, representing the general public’s opinion.

Non-Voting Members

• Ex-Officio – Campus-wide administrative members overseeing other regulatory processes at MTSU.
• Institutional Official (IO) – The administrative leader of the University’s animal program, a ranking official with authority to allocate resources and commit institutional support.
• Compliance Officer (CO) – The chief enforcer of federal guidelines, acting as a liaison between the IACUC and the MTSU research community.

The role of the non-voting administrative officials in the MTSU IACUC is to ensure the University’s commitment to fostering a culture of compliance is met. Their primary duty is to provide institutional support during the review process without intervening in the committee’s decisions. Although they do not interfere with the IACUC’s approval process, institutional authorities can hold or defer an approved protocol for reasons such as resource constraints or feasibility at MTSU.

USDA Definition of “Animal”

“Animal” refers to any live or dead dog, cat, nonhuman primate, guinea pig, hamster, rabbit, or any other warm-blooded animal used or intended for use in research, testing, teaching, experimentation, or exhibition, or as a pet. This term excludes birds, rats of the genus Rattus, and mice of the genus Mus bred for research, as well as horses not used for research and certain farm animals used for food, fiber, or production purposes.

Public Health Service (PHS) Definition

The PHS defines research-use animals as any live, vertebrate animal used or intended for use in research, training, experimentation, biological testing, or related purposes. MTSU’s PHS assurance number is A4701-01.

• Additional Resources
• View the “IACUC Handbook” by Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW)
• MTSU’s policy on Animal Care and Use in Research and Testing