Getting Started

All research, teaching and testing activities involving live, vertebrate animals must be reviewed and approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) prior to initiation of the activities. In order to obtain the approval for your research study, please follow these basic instructions:

1. Determine when your research will begin. This is very important as it can take as long as three(3) weeks to complete the IACUC approval process.
2. After you have decided when your research will begin, please consult the Calendar-Deadlines page to see the next most appropriate committee meeting date for submission. We must have 15 days in which to review your protocol prior to a full committee meeting. The calendar will tell you when the next meeting will be held, and it will tell you the deadline for submitting a protocol for review at that meeting.
3. Download and complete the AUP Guidelines packet as per our Tips for Protocol Submission page. The form must be typed, and it is available in a variety of formats. Contact the IACUC Office if you have any questions.
4. Please carefully read all instructions in the packet. Important and helpful information for completing the forms is contained throughout the packet.
5. Please note that ALL original signatures, including the Attending Veterinarian and Research Farm Services administration (if farm study), must be submitted to the IACUC Administrator prior to final approval of the protocol prior to initiation of the protocol review process.
6. For assistance with literature searches and to obtain information on alternatives to painful procedures contact Lois Sill, Agricultural and Biological Sciences Reference Librarian in the Cooper Library, at slois@clemson.edu or 656-5185.  Information and links for animal research literature searching can be found at http://people.clemson.edu/~slois/.
7. Once you have completed the paperwork, please submit the entire package to the IACUC Office by email at bridgeo@clemson.edu
8. You must take zoonotic training and enroll in the Clemson University Medical Surveillance Program.
9. You must be certified in Animal Care and Use. You can train online at http://www.citiprogram.org. For instruction on logging into the on-line training site, please click on the following link: http://www.clemson.edu/research/orcSite/orcIRB_CITIHelpPage.htm

   Enrollments and zoonotic training will be verified.

For additional information and instructions, please refer to the AUP Guidelines document.

OLAW is pleased to announce the availability of a new web tutorial for investigators: How to Write an Application Involving Research Animals (http://www.niaid.nih.gov/ncn/clinical/researchanimals/tutorial/index.htm). 

Developed by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), in conjunction with OLAW, the tutorial provides a step by step guide to the preparation of an application and covers such topics as considering alternatives, obtaining assurances and IACUC approval, just in time processes, NIH review of animal subjects applications, grant awards, IACUC monitoring of awards, and reporting requirements.

Although designed specifically for NIAID applicants, the information is relevant to any investigator submitting an application to the NIH for an activity involving animals.