Our Mission
The Animal Care & Use Program fosters a culture of excellence, compassion, and adherence to the highest standards of animal welfare in the conduct of research, testing, and teaching at the University of Michigan.
A Message from Our Leadership
For decades, laboratory animals have been essential to almost every major advance in human and animal medicine. The University of Michigan community is committed to the highest standards of excellent and humane care in the use of these animals in its research, and we believe that this commitment is central to the rigor and impact of our work.
Our approach goes beyond strict adherence to all required guidelines. In addition, we embrace the principles known as “the three Rs”: reducing the number of animals used to the minimum required for the study, replacing animals with less sentient or non-animal models whenever possible, and refining all practices to provide the best animal welfare possible.
Our Program comprises three units that support our campus-wide research community and ensure our collective commitment to the welfare of all animals under our care:
- Animal Care & Use Office
- Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine
- Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee
Through projects and training activities that span a wide variety of fields, including medicine, dentistry, natural resources and the environment, engineering, public health, and kinesiology, scientific and medical knowledge developed through animal research has saved countless lives and improved health outcomes for both humans and animals.
Some examples of life-changing research projects and teaching programs at the University of Michigan are highlighted in the stories below.
Regards,
Rebecca Cunningham, MD
Institutional Official
Vice President for Research and Innovation
William G. Barsan Collegiate Professor of Emergency Medicine
William King, DVM, PhD, DACLAM
Associate Vice President for Research – Animal Care and Use Program
Attending Veterinarian
Executive Director, Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine
Clinical Professor of Laboratory Animal Medicine
William Greer, BS, CPIA, LAT, CM
Assistant Vice President for Research – Animal Program Compliance Oversight
Director, Animal Care & Use Office
Daniel D. Myers, DVM, MPH, DACLAM
Professor of Surgery
Chair, Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee
Read more storiesQuestions?
As a public institution and an accredited site for animal use, we are open to inquiries, reports of concern, or other communications from within and beyond the U-M. Questions about the care and use of laboratory animals at the University of Michigan should be directed to the Animal Care & Use Office at acuoffice@umich.edu.
If you are a member of the media, or have a media inquiry, please email acu-media@umich.edu or call the Michigan Medicine Department of Communication at (734) 764-2220 and your question will be routed to the appropriate media team member.