To provide greater clarity on the required training assigned to research personnel who perform select procedures with animals (see additional details below), the Animal Care & Use Program has partnered with U-M’s department of Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) to revise the Animal Handling Details (AHD) section of eRAM.
These changes, which are scheduled to go live in a Winter 2026 eRAM software release/update, will modify several AHD questions, including:
- Further clarification on where (e.g., containment housing rooms) individuals work with hazards
- Enhanced definitions of what it means to “perform recovery surgery with rodents” and “assist with rodent recovery surgery” as well as additional explanation(s) of personnel surgery roles
- A new question that asks about the use of radioactive materials with animals
Study Teams are NOT required to take any immediate action on their protocol(s) as a result of these changes. Principal Investigators (PIs) and Protocol Editors will notice the revised questions when modifying an individual’s animal handling details, which may subsequently impact the training (i.e., online module or in-person workshop) that is assigned to that individual.
A detailed summary of the new and modified questions will be shared on the eRAM Release Notes page. Updated eRAM Step-by-Step Guides will also be released as part of the system upgrade.
Questions?
Questions or concerns about animal care and use training requirements should be directed to the ULAM Training Core at [email protected] or (734) 763-8039.
Your patience and understanding are greatly appreciated as we work to further refine our systems in support of your research.