News

2025 Excellence in Research Animal Care and Use Award Winners

The Animal Care & Use Program is pleased to announce the 2025 winners of the Excellence in Research Animal Care & Use Award. Established in 2019, this awards program celebrates staff excellence in the humane care and use of animals within the University of Michigan (U-M) research community. Ashley Duval – 2025 Animal Care & ...
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Drugs Facilities Guidelines Husbandry IACUC Policies Safety

Lessons Learned from Winter 2025 Semi-Annual Facility Inspections

The Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) completed its latest round of semi-annual facility inspections in mid-March. These routine inspections are one of the most important tools we have for assessing programmatic strengths and identifying areas for individual and collective improvement(s) in service to the animals entrusted to our care. Through this lens of ...
Multi-colored graph showing common deficiency areas identified during Winter 2025 semi-annual facility inspections

Drugs Federal Regulations & Standards Guidelines Policies ULAM

Additional Guidance & Resources for Managing Products with Beyond Use Dates

Navigating the many nuanced requirements for the proper management, storage, and maintenance of drugs, agents, and other substances used in animal-based research can be challenging and confusing, especially when these supplies are dated. Many pharmaceutical products have both a standard “Expiration Date” and a “Use-By-Date” (i.e., “Beyond Use Date”), which are often described in the ...
Image of vials being picked up by person with gloved hand

ULAM

Connect with Your ULAM Faculty Veterinarian this May

As part of the Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine’s (ULAM) efforts to provide a collaborative, partnership-based approach to animal care at the U-M, ULAM Faculty Veterinarians will be hosting several check-in meetings at locations across campus this May. In addition to discussing facility-specific needs, a variety of other topics will be covered, including: Time will ...
icon of two people talking

eRAM Safety

Make Safety a Habit by Regularly Reviewing, Sharing EHS Safety Findings

Everyone who contributes to research at the University of Michigan should rightfully expect a safe, healthy, and secure working environment. To ensure that personnel are protected to the greatest extent possible, Principal Investigators (PIs) are required to identify all hazardous materials and operations that MAY be used on their animal use protocol. The U-M Department ...
women in PPE researching at a desk

Facilities Husbandry Safety SOP

Recent Updates, Changes to Hazardous Substance Administration SOP

To ensure continued compliance with best practice standards in animal care and use and laboratory safety, the Animals Administered a Hazardous Substance Requiring Containment Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) was recently updated. Updates and process changes are applicable to ANY individual who may perform procedures that involve the handling of animals and/or animal equipment contaminated with ...
Button listing expected May 2025 adherence date for new Hazardous Substance Administration SOP

Federal Regulations & Standards Policies Safety

Plan Ahead: New Federal Policy on Research with Pathogens and Biological Toxins

May 2025 Update On May 5, 2025, a new Executive Order (EO) was issued calling for modifications to the 2024 United States Government Policy for Oversight of Dual Use Research of Concern and Pathogens with Enhanced Pandemic Potential (often referred to as the “USG DURC-PEPP Policy”). As the institution awaits additional guidance on how the provisions ...
document icon reading "new policy DRUC-PEPP"

eRAM

eRAM System Upgrade, Outage Scheduled for Early May

In May 2025, the eResearch Animal Management (eRAM) system used for managing all animal use protocols and processing animal orders and transfers will upgrade its underlying application technology, including several enhancements to improve user experience. During the upgrade period, tentatively scheduled to begin at 5:00 PM on Friday, May 2, 2025, and running through approximately ...
computer mockup icon reading eRAM System Upgrade May 2- May 4, 2025

Safety

Nominations Sought for Excellence in Research Safety Awards

Safety in all academic and research endeavors is a core institutional value at the University of Michigan. To recognize the tremendous efforts taken by staff and leaders throughout campus to support this important mission, the Research and Academic Safety Committee (RASC) has launched the Excellence in Research Safety Awards. The awards will be given in ...
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Facilities Safety

Laboratory Hoods – What’s the Difference?

Many research and animal laboratories use containment devices to keep the user separated from the hazards they are working with. These devices are often referred to by many different names including cell culture hood, tissue culture hood, laminar flow hood, PCR hood, clean bench, or biosafety cabinet. An important thing to note, however, is that ...
Images of four different laboratory hoods