 |  |  |
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s animal care program is accredited by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC), USDA registered, and PHS assured. The Institutional Animal Care Program (IACP) at Nebraska ensures the humane care, use and health of animals used in the teaching, research and extension missions of the university. IACP provides veterinary services and coordinates animal health care oversight on campus and at satellite facilities around the state, and provides the support and training necessary to assure high quality care and use of the university’s animals.
The university meets these goals through:
- Review and approval by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) of all research and educational activities involving vertebrate animals (including wild mammals and birds) before projects are initiated, to assure compliance with all laws, regulations and rules governing the care and use of animals
- Continuing review and monitoring of approved studies.
Oversight Responsibility
The Institutional Official (IO), the IACUC and IACP staff cooperate to support use of animals by faculty and staff in pursuit of the missions of the university. The university’s vice chancellor for research and economic development has delegated overall responsibility for the animal care program to the IO, currently the associate vice chancellor for research.
The IACP and the attending veterinarian (AV) take their direction from the IACUC. The AV is responsible for veterinary care of all animals used in research, teaching or in demonstration by UNL employees. Due to the size and distance of the program, however, local veterinarians, in coordination with the AV, may provide veterinary care.
The AV reviews animal research protocols with principal investigators before they are submitted to the IACUC. The intent is to work with investigators on all issues related to animal care and use. Consultation with the AV often facilitates IACUC approval of an animal use protocol.
PIs are urged to contact IACP for assistance in meeting their research needs while ensuring that UNL complies with the federal requirement that the attending veterinarian be involved in the design of animal use protocols that entail pain or distress.
Facility Management
The IACP office also manages the Life Sciences Annex (LScA) and the Biocontainment Lab (BCL) on East Campus and Manter Hall on City Campus. The LScA a biosecurity/biosafety level 2 (BSL-2) facility and accommodates rodent, laboratory animal and agricultural animal research. The facility contains surgery and necropsy rooms, locker rooms and a conference room. The BCL is a BSL-3 facility with lab animal and benchtop capabilities. Manter Hall is a smaller, BSL-1 facility.
Those interested in using either facility should contact Dr. Kelly Heath at kheath3@unl.edu or call the IACP office at 402-472-4486.
