Animal Resources Center NEWSLETTER
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Animal Resources Center NEWSLETTER Spring 2007 ARC Website: www.utexas.edu/research/arc/ AAALAC SITE VISIT: A SUCCESS WORLD LABORATORY ANIMAL LIBERATION WEEK During Oct. 31st -Nov. 2nd 2006 a site visit team from the nd th Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Sunday April 22 – Saturday April 28 Laboratory Animal Care, International (AAALAC) toured REVIEW SECURITY PRECAUTIONS! vertebrate animal care and use areas on the main Austin campus and the marine science and aquaculture locations in The last week in April (also known as World Week for Port Aransas. A large number of UT-Austin faculty, staff, Animals in Laboratories) is promoted by anti-research and students participated by explaining their research, activists around the world as a time for protests, media describing their procedures, providing examples of their events, and other actions against the use of animals in documentation, and answering questions. The site visitors biomedical research. Historically, student groups at UT- thoroughly reviewed the Program Description (a 140-page Austin have marched or protested at locations along Dean document prepared by the institution) and met with the Keeton/Speedway or set up tables at the South or West Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) as Mall. However, based on past experiences at other well as key representatives from the administration and the institutions, other activities can sometimes occur during Animal Resources Center (ARC). this week, including direct confrontation, harassment, property damage, or attempts at research lab break-ins. We recently received the official notice of the review from the AAALAC Council. Based on the triennial site visit, the This is an opportune time for investigators to assure that institution was given the continuing status of “Full their staff understands the serious responsibilities that go Accreditation.” Areas that were specifically commended along with access to campus animal facilities. Please be include the IACUC oversight of animal-based research, the watchful for strangers or unusual activity around animal comprehensive Laboratory Animal Occupational Health care and use locations during this time. Individuals Program, the program for environmental enrichment, and authorized to have access to animal facilities should always general animal husbandry practices in the ARC. Some carry their UT photo-ID badge and be prepared to show formal and informal suggestions for further improvement identification if requested by the UT-PD or the ARC were provided as part of the review process, and these will management. DO NOT PROP DOORS OPEN OR serve as potential goals as we prepare for the next visit, ALLOW PERSONS UNKNOWN TO YOU FOLLOW expected to occur in 2009. YOU INTO THE FACILITY! More information on Animal Liberation Week and a ARC ORIENTATION CLASSES response plan for reporting concerns are included elsewhere in this newsletter. For additional questions, please contact Friday, April 27, 2007 at 1:30PM the ARC Director. COM Room 8 Friday, June 18, 2006 at 1:30PM THIS MONTH'S CONTENTS COM Room 8 Animal Ordering Changes ..................................................... Page 2 Transgenic Rat Services by the MGEF................................. Page 2 IACUC Training and Protocol Submissions ......................... Page 2 This class is listed in TXClass as AN 1. To register or to Budgeting for FY07-08 ........................................................... Page 2 find more information on training requirements for animal Dr. Fineg’s Retirement Reception ........................................ Page 3 users at UT-Austin, go to the training section of the ARC New Euthanasia Guidelines ...........................................Pages 5-22 website: Health Checks and Illness Reporting .................................. Page 23 http://www.utexas.edu/research/arc/misc/training.htm Animal Liberation Week Information ............................Pages 24-25 IACUC Training Requirements .....................................Pages 26-27 ANIMAL ORDERING CHANGES IACUC TRAINING REQUIREMENTS AND PROTOCOL SUBMISSIONS As part of a server and software upgrade, some new features have been added to the ARC Animal Order When the IACUC training moved to online content and Database. As of 2/1/07, after the "submit" button is course registration, it was anticipated that new personnel pushed, a confirmation screen with an order-specific would take the required online training modules, register confirmation number should appear. Please keep track of for orientation, and submit a health surveillance that number so you can use it as a reference if you have questionnaire in advance, so that by the time their name questions pertaining to the order because it will help the was listed on a new submission being submitted to the ARC administrative staff quickly locate the order in IACUC (a full protocol, renewal, or modification) they question. The other feature added is an email confirmation would already show up in the databases as having that will be sent after the order has been placed and the completed the minimum training. anticipated arrival date is known. To take advantage of this feature, be sure to enter the email address to which you Unfortunately, that is not what is happening. As a result, want the order and arrival information sent to as you fill the most common reason for the IACUC to have to delay or out the form. In addition to these changes, we are now defer approval is that one or more people listed in a sending out confirmatory emails to alert labs when the submission have not met the minimum training animals have been delivered, although we can continue to requirements. This affects the entire protocol approval do that via a phone call upon specific request. process, and the ensuing attempts to follow-up and confirm subsequent training are time-consuming for the staff in the When you are submitting the animal order, please make Office of Research Support and Compliance (the home of sure you are filling the form out completely, including the the IACUC coordinator) and frustrating to the principal building and room # where you want the animals to be investigators involved. These delays have the potential to housed. If you are not sure of the appropriate room number, affect the timeliness of grant funding as well. you can contact Nachi Shukla (x2-2043) before you submit the order. For questions about the animal ordering process Investigators are reminded to be sure training requirements or to follow-up on a specific order, please contact Cheri are complete PRIOR to submission of forms to the IACUC Brinkmeyer (x1-2393). in order to avoid delays or potential regulatory noncompliance. For a full description of the current MOUSE GENETIC ENGINEERING requirements, please see the Attachments section. FACILITY UPDATE – RAT SERVICES NOW AVAILABLE BUDGETING FOR FY07-08 The last ARC rate increase was implemented in January The Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology (ICMB) 2006, and although the budget process is not yet complete, provides a campus core facility for creating transgenic and we anticipate announcing another increase for September knockout mouse strains. This core, the Mouse Genetic 2007. More info will follow when the decision is finalized. Engineering Facility (MGEF), has laboratory and procedural space in the ARC Annex, and also maintains the The suggested rule of thumb when submitting grants and associated SPF rodent barrier facility. preparing budgets is to allow for per diem and service costs to increase 3-5% per year. The ARC works hard to Shan Maika, the Manager of the MGEF, has announced minimize costs and maximize efficiency, but rates do need that the core is now branching out to produce transgenic to increase to keep pace with costs. For example, the recent rats. After investigating the interest in the use of transgenic increase in the UT-Austin institutional minimum wage rats, she received enough positive responses to get ICMB resulted in a well-deserved 10% salary increase for a approval to begin pulling together the necessary equipment, number of persons on the animal care staff, but that space, reagents, etc. to offer this service. She is now increase needs to be recovered through service center pleased to report that everything is in place to make charges. Transportation and fuel cost increases have also transgenic rats by pronuclear injection. In her words, they affected the prices of many of our bulk items, which are are now officially "open for business". Interested other prime contributors to animal facility costs. individuals can check out their web site by going to http://www.icmb.utexas.edu/core/ and clicking on the mouse link. - 2 - Animal Resources Center RECEPTION TO HONOR DR. JERRY FINEG Director Dr. Fineg retired from his position in the Animal Resources Center at the end of Glen Otto, DVM the last academic year. A reception was held at the Campus Club Lounge on [email protected] th August 30 to recognize his contributions to the campus research enterprise over the past thirty-three years. A large number of family, friends, colleagues, MANAGERS and guests were on hand to show appreciation and to wish him well. Glen Otto, Facilities Steve Leslie, and Juan Sanchez made brief comments. The event culminated in Nachi Shukla the announcement that a commemorative plaque and bench were to be dedicated [email protected] to Jerry and placed at the entrance to the Animal Resources Center building, Training and Compliance which