The Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) completed its last round of semi-annual facility inspections in March.
As we work to carry the momentum from this summer’s AAALAC Site Visit forward to the start of the fall semester, please review the findings, suggestions for improvement, and resources below with all members of your laboratory – especially any new students involved with research – in advance of Fall 2026 semi-annual inspections.
The next round of semi-annual IACUC facility inspections will begin on Monday, September 14, and run through Thursday, September 17.
Common Deficiency Areas** Identified During Winter 2026 Inspections:
Examples:
- Expired materials, drugs, and substances found
- Materials and substances not appropriately labeled
Suggestions for Improvement:
- Remove expired substances or materials from circulation/use and separate from non-expired items until they can be appropriately discarded.
- Ensure all materials/substances are labeled and dated, if necessary, upon arrival (review the Policy on the Use, Storage, and Expiration of Substances, Agents, and Medical Materials Used in Animals for more information).
- Assign an individual, or individuals, within the laboratory to routinely monitor, organize, and label substances. These individual(s) should also serve as the designated contact(s) for others who may have questions or concerns about related policies and procedures.
- Download the Quick Reference Sheet: Managing Expired Drugs & Supplies
for additional suggestions on developing a system to monitor for expired materials in your laboratory.
Examples:
- Animal feed not stored in vermin/leak-proof containers
- Animal/procedure rooms found to be cluttered and unkempt (e.g., storing unneeded equipment and dirty animal caging)
Suggestions for Improvement:
- Feed must be appropriately stored in a closed container to prevent potential contamination/spoilage. Any secondary storage containers should be clearly labeled with content information and expiration/mill date.
- Contact your facility’s ULAM Husbandry Supervisor with questions or concerns about proper feed storage and/or labeling practices.
- Animal procedure spaces must be clean, free of clutter (i.e., emergency egress routes are not blocked), well-organized, contain materials that are easily sanitizable (i.e., no porous surfaces such as cardboard, cloth, or unsealed wood), and include only the equipment needed for current research activities.
- Review the Procedure Room and Support Space SOP for guidance on procedure room maintenance.
**Percentages above represent the number of overall deficient findings in each area (e.g., Animal Husbandry PI/Lab & ULAM Spaces – 33% denotes that, of the total findings identified during Winter 2026 semi-annual facility inspections, 33% were related to animal husbandry in PI/Laboratory and ULAM Spaces).
Questions?
Questions or concerns about semi-annual IACUC facility inspections, or any of the items outlined above, should be directed to the Animal Care & Use Office at [email protected] or (734) 763-8028.
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