IACUC

Facilities IACUC Policies Safety

Go Beyond the Glove: Essentials for Hand Hygiene in Animal Care Facilities

To ensure scientific integrity and protect personnel, the vast majority of animals used in biomedical research are purpose-bred to be free of specific pathogens that may cause disease in humans. Despite the multitude of systems (e.g., routine animal screening, housing in specially designed and controlled facilities, use of Personal Protective Equipment) in place to safeguard ...
Close up of person washing hands in sink with disposable latex gloves in background

Facilities IACUC

Winter 2026 Semi-Annual IACUC Facility Inspections Start Monday, March 9

The Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) will begin its next round of semi-annual facility inspections on Monday, March 9, 2026. Inspections will run through Thursday, March 12, 2026, and include any animal rooms, surgical suite support spaces, or areas where procedures are conducted with animals. Winter 2026 Facility Inspection Schedule View the complete ...
Facility inspection checklist reminder icon for Winter 2026 inspections

Federal Regulations & Standards IACUC

Guidance & Best Practices for Performing Literature Searches

The U-M’s Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) requires that all Principal Investigators (PIs)/Study Teams provide detailed justification(s) for the use of any vertebrate animal or cephalopod in research or instruction. In addition to fulfilling its regulatory obligation(s), outlined in greater detail in the federal Animal Welfare Act & Animal Welfare Regulations (AWA/AWR), the ...
Computer with screenshot of USDA AWIC Literature Searching webpage and gold 3Rs logo

Drugs Facilities Guidelines Husbandry IACUC Policies Safety

Lessons Learned from Fall 2025 Semi-Annual Facility Inspections

The Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) completed its latest round of semi-annual facility inspections in September. 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 Fall 2025 semi-annual facility inspections

IACUC

ARRIVE Prepared: Essentials for Reproducibility and Incorporating the 3Rs

For more than 50 years, institutional and regulatory expectations have required appropriate justification for the use of animals in research, including consideration of all relevant new approach methodologies/non-animal models (NAMs), the “Three Rs” principle of biomedical research, and documentation on why a certain species/model is the most scientifically valid method of study. Detailed justifications are ...
Picture of technician holding white rat with 3Rs emblem

Facilities IACUC

Fall 2025 Semi-Annual IACUC Facility Inspections Begin Monday, September 22

The Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) will begin its next round of semi-annual facility inspections on Monday, September 22, 2025. Inspections will run through Thursday, September 25, 2025, and include any animal rooms, surgical suite support spaces, or areas where procedures are conducted with animals. Fall 2025 Facility Inspection Schedule View the complete ...
Facility inspection checklist reminder icon for Fall 2025 inspections

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

Facilities IACUC

IACUC Semi-Annual Facility Inspections Start Monday, March 10

The Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) will begin its next round of semi-annual facility inspections on Monday, March 10, 2025. Inspections will run through Thursday, March 13, 2025, and include any animal rooms, surgical suite support spaces, and areas where procedures are conducted with animals. As a reminder, the Animal Care & Use ...
Facility inspection checklist reminder icon for Winter 2025 inspections

Drugs Facilities Guidelines Husbandry IACUC Policies Safety

Lessons Learned from Fall 2024 Semi-Annual Facility Inspections

The Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) completed its latest round of semi-annual facility inspections in late September, which included piloting a new one-week condensed schedule. This revised format more closely aligns IACUC processes with those used by external oversight bodies (e.g., AAALAC and the United States Department of Agriculture) and aims to reduce ...
Multi-colored graph showing common deficiency areas identified during Fall 2024 semi-annual facility inspections