On this page:
Note: The Office of Research website includes a broad set of FAQs for researchers, covering all phases of the research project lifecycle.
If you have questions that are not covered in the FAQs below, please contact OAW at oawrss@uw.edu.
A. Grants FAQ
IACUC is the acronym for “Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee”. This is the official name, and the name most commonly used in federal documents.
The National Institute of Health (NIH) has a good description of the IACUC.
The Office of Animal Welfare (OAW) performs the side-by-side comparison of an application/proposal with the associated IACUC protocol(s) to ensure that the information the IACUC reviews and approves is congruent with what is in the application/proposal. After a successful review, OAW provides an approval letter to the PI and OSP.
PHS Policy and the NIH Grants Policy Statement (Part II, Terms and Conditions) require that institutions verify, before award, that the IACUC has reviewed and approved those components of grant applications and contract proposals related to the care and use of animals.
Some common oversights to look out for include:
- Incorrect IACUC protocol(s) or no IACUC protocol cited on the eGC1
- Animal use procedures in the proposal that are not included in the cited IACUC protocol(s)
- Animal work being done at non-UW locations without first securing UW approval
As soon as you receive notice of a potentially fundable score from NIH or your sponsor, email oawrss@uw.edu with your eGC1 and protocol number. Be sure to list all pertinent protocols in the eGC1 and/or your email to OAW.
If a new IACUC protocol or an amendment to an existing IACUC protocol is necessary to cover all the work described in the grant or contract, please submit the new protocol and/or amendment in HoverBoard and email oawrss@uw.edu the eGC1 number corresponding with the grant.
Some sponsors may require confirmation of IACUC approval within a very short time after your proposal submission deadline. It is the responsibility of the PI and research team to read the sponsor instructions and plan the IACUC paperwork submission timeline accordingly.
If we do not receive the above documents promptly, your award could be delayed depending on sponsor requirements.
This depends on who is participating in the proposal and what facilities will be used. An OAW reviewer must approve the eGC1 if the proposal includes the use of live vertebrate animals anywhere (e.g., at the UW, in the field, at another institution, by a private company for custom antibody production, etc.).
Send the following documents to oawrss@uw.edu:
- eGC1 number(s)
- Associated IACUC protocol number(s)
The IACUC approval date range is the period from the date of approval of the IACUC protocol to its expiration three years later.
The UW Animal Welfare Assurance number and other regulatory information are posted on our Institutional Compliance page.
OAW will still need to review your grant. Please contact oawrss@uw.edu.
OAW does not review Non-Competing Renewals. If there have been any changes in the past year, it is the responsibility of the PI to include those changes in the approved protocol.
OAW will still need to review your grant. This may be approvable in SAGE.
For non-competing continuations and other non-competing items (excluding non-competing renewals), OAW reviews the eGC1 based on the electronic routing process. OAW reviewers can view the eGC1 in SAGE and do not need a copy of the submission/proposal in order to perform their review.
Per instructions from NIH, if animal involvement is anticipated but not yet determined then indicate “yes” for the use of animals and in the proposal provide an explanation. Please note that if an award is made, vertebrate animals cannot be used until a Vertebrate Animals section and verification of IACUC approval has been submitted to NIH.
For situations where trainees and projects are not yet identified (i.e., a new submission without a progress report), indicate “yes” for vertebrate animals on the eGC1 and provide a statement of assurance that trainees who are recruited and decide to use animals will have their work submitted to the IACUC and approved under their mentor’s protocol prior to initiation.
If animal projects are already known or if the training grant is a continuation and some trainees are already working with animals, cite the relevant IACUC protocol numbers on the eGC1. On the grant you must include the relevant approval date(s). When the grant is reviewed by the OAW, the work of the trainees that is described in the grant will be compared to the IACUC protocols cited.
I have a subaward to another institution (e.g. the animal work is done elsewhere)?
It is not uncommon for University researchers to initiate or collaborate on animal work occurring at other institutions. For example:
- Creation of genetically modified animals
- Production of surgically modified animals
- Production of custom antibodies
- Complete studies utilizing animals
If the University of Washington is sending money to another institution to pay for live animal work, OAW will need to be involved in the process, even if there is IACUC approval at the performance site. There are a number of factors that drive the requirements for outsourced work (e.g., funding source, species used). Thus, all animal work, regardless of funding source and performance site, must be reviewed by OAW to determine the regulatory requirements for your work.
In most cases, in order to issue a subaward to another institution, the OAW needs to enter into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the collaborating institution.
Most sponsors, including NIH, require IACUC approval for all proposed animal work that will occur at any time during any year of the proposal.
You must obtain approval from the IACUC for the animal work that you are proposing to the sponsor. You may, as always, submit amendments to your IACUC protocol as your work progresses and you determine changes that will need to be made in your plan.
This is the most common issue we encounter and it results in significant loss of time in processing proposals (and continuations) through the OAW. This problem comes to light when the proposal is compared side-by-side with the IACUC protocol(s).
If an amendment to an existing IACUC protocol is necessary to cover all the work described in the grant or contract, please submit the amendment in HoverBoard and email oawrss@uw.edu the eGC1 number corresponding with the grant.
Yes. The University’s Animal Welfare Assurance on file with the NIH Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW) assures that federal laws and guidelines are followed for all animal work performed at the UW, supported by UW funds, or performed by UW faculty, students or employees.
Since animals (usually mice or rabbits) are used, your proposal must indicate “yes” for vertebrate animal use. Therefore:
- Indicate “Yes” for vertebrate animals on the proposal and eGC1.
- Use the UW Animal Welfare Assurance number on the proposal. The Assurance number is posted on our Institutional Compliance page.
- Under performance sites list the name of the company from whom you will purchase the antibodies. Please note that you must use a company that holds an Animal Welfare Assurance with PHS (though the UW number is still used on the proposal because the UW will be the awardee). Contact OAW if you need help determining whether the company you wish to use has an Animal Welfare Assurance. If you choose a foreign company, the company must have a foreign Animal Welfare Assurance and the UW IACUC must review and approve the company’s animal protocol for production of the custom antibody.
- The IACUC approval date is the date that the company’s IACUC approved the custom antibody production. Contact the company for this information and include a copy of their IACUC approval letter when you submit your eGC1 and proposal to the UW OAW for review. If you intend to use a foreign company the approval from the company’s ethics committee and from the UW IACUC are pertinent and both should be indicated on the eGC1. Both the company’s ethics committee approval information and the UW IACUC approval must be included on the eGC1 and any letter regarding approval to the sponsor.
When filling out the eGC1, include all pertinent IACUC protocol numbers in the appropriate sections as instructed on the form. If the protocols have not yet been established you may indicate “New Protocol”.
If protocols were not included on the eGC1 at time of grant submission, please notify oawrss@uw.edu of the correct protocol numbers.
If you have any questions or need help determining the most recent approval dates please contact oawrss@uw.edu for help.
Learn more about the difference between a Grant Congruence Letter (aka Grant Approval Letter) and a Protocol Approval Letter.
Frequently requested regulatory information can be found on the Institutional Compliance page.
B. Researcher FAQ
To work with controlled substances, researchers will need to obtain a state license and then apply for a federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) license.
Apply for a state license with the Washington State Department of Health Controlled Substance Researcher Application Packet. The approval process will involve an inspection of the lab space to ensure proper storage of controlled substances is available.
Apply for a federal DEA license on the DEA Forms and Applications page by clicking on ‘Apply Online’ or sending a completed form by New Applications (DEA Form 225).
Researchers can apply to record video or take photos/images of animals by filling out and submitting the associated DCM or WaNPRC form.
For spaces managed by the Department of Comparative Medicine (DCM), submit a Permit to Photograph Request Form, available on the DCM Forms page. Instructions on how to submit are located at the end of the form.
For spaces managed by the Washington National Primate Research Center (WaNPRC), submit a WaNPRC Photo Request Form. All photo/video opportunities must have prior written approval from the WaNPRC Director. For more information or to access the form, contact nprcinfo@uw.edu.
Please contact the Center for Laboratory Animal Training Resources (clatr@uw.edu) to inquire about extra tissues or euthanized animals.
Please contact your OAW liaison or the Office of Animal Welfare ( oawrss@uw.edu) and include your name, the strain you are looking for, and the reason you are looking for the specific strain. OAW staff will try to identify other investigators who may be using that strain.
Visit DCM’s AOps website for information regarding the AOps system.
Visit DCM’s Invoices page for information on how to retrieve invoices.
For help on how to execute tasks in AOps, visit DCM’s AOps Quick Reference Guides.
Please direct all additional AOps questions to AOpsHelp@uw.edu.
C. Training (Center for Laboratory Animal Training Resources; CLATR) FAQ
Scheduling
It depends on the course, and there is no guarantee.
From the date of the request received and confirmed, we estimate the Rodent Hands-on classes range from 2-5 weeks.
Facility orientations range from 1-3 weeks.
Surgery training classes have a longer waitlist, and is currently 1-2 months of a wait.
Other species hands-on classes range from 2-5 weeks. All remote classes (Lab-Managed courses) are held every 3-5 weeks.
After completing all pre-requisites of online training, submit your registration form.
For facility orientations, you must also be approved on the protocol.
For surgery classes, the surgery must be approved on the protocol.
Any incomplete training or protocol approvals can delay your wait time further!
Currently, class schedules are available for all Rodent Handling, Surgery and Lab-Managed Aquatic classes on the CLATR website under the course description.
Please note that some classes tend to fill up very quickly.
All other classes are scheduled on an as-needed basis.
As long as your online prerequisites are completed and your registration form is submitted, we will be able to approve you to the study protocol.
You will not be allowed to handle animals or perform certified procedures on the study protocol until the specific training is completed.
Do not risk it! Please let us know sooner than later so we can fill your spot.
We can reschedule you for a future class, no fees incurred.
Again, we ask that you please give us notice as these classes are limited and the instructors set up a few hours prior to the class.
We try to fill in cancellations when possible!
Training and Registration Basics
Please see our Training Requirements page.
You can register for the class by completing the applicable CLATR form. The form is available on the Forms page. After your request has been processed, you will be sent an e-mail confirmation indicating the class(es) for which you are registered, followed by a reminder email indicating the class location and other class information.
Go to the Online Courses page. Select the course that is appropriate. You will be prompted to log-on with your UW Net ID.
Your login for completing online courses is your UW Net ID. If you are non-university personnel and do not have a UW Net ID, please contact us at clatr@uw.edu.
Please email cancelation requests to the Training Program at clatr@uw.edu within 24 hours of the class. Note that there is a re-registration fee for persons who do not cancel 24 hours in advance (unless sick). We do ask that you provide ample notice so we can fill your spot with another attendee.
Please contact the Training Program at clatr@uw.edu to adjust your registration.
You can view your complete training history either in HoverBoard or My Research Training Transcript. Online training history can also be viewed on the CLATR website.
Facility Access and Proxy Cards
You will need to complete the facility orientation for the facility that you need access to. Please visit the Training Requirements page of this website for more information and prerequisites.
Access cards are issued by your department’s “Building Access Coordinator”. Please visit the Health Sciences Building Management website for more information.
The SLU Access Card Request Form must be signed by your PI and submitted to SLU Reception Services. If your PI is not located at SLU, the CLATR instructor can sign off on the card request form during your facility orientation (please contact clatr@uw.edu for more information and remember to bring your photo ID to class).
No, but you will not have access to the facility until you have been issued a card.
The PIN is necessary for card access to the 6th floor and T-wing facilities after hours. Additionally, the Foege, ARC, and HR&T facilities use the PIN for animal room access. The PIN can be any 4 digits of your choosing.
Please contact your facility supervisor.
Please contact the Training Program at clatr@uw.edu to discuss your situation.
Fee Schedule and Non-University Personnel
University personnel and others working on UW IACUC protocols are not charged to attend classes; however, expenses are incurred even in the registrant’s absence and therefore a charge of $48.55 will be levied for persons who fail to attend a session if they have not cancelled 24 hours in advance.
*NOTE: If paying by check or money order, the fee increases to $57.58.
Non-University personnel working on Non-UW protocols are currently charged $68.79 to attend Mouse Lab and $85.39 to attend Rat Lab, which includes an 18.6% institutional overhead fee. A re-registration fee of $57.58 will be levied for persons who fail to cancel 24 hours in advance. A Billing Intake Form is required at the time of registration.
If you have any questions about the billing process, please email clatr@uw.edu.
D. Mouse Breeding Policy FAQ
The gestation period in mice typically ranges from 19-21 days, but varies by strain.
Outbred mice (e.g., CD-1) and a few inbred mouse strains with high breeding efficiency have larger average litter sizes of 10-12 pups per litter and short inter-litter interval where a new litter is born as soon as 20 days following the first litter (Pritchett and Taft, 2007). Conversely, many inbred strains (e.g., C57BL/6J, BALB/cByJ) have small average litter sizes of 4-6 pups per litter and longer inter-litter intervals. These inbred strains can also have pups that grow slower and are smaller.
Generally mice are in estrus once every 4 days, however, estrus usually ceases during periods of peak lactation. Thus, mice in breeding situations where the male is present, will come into estrus and breed within the first few days after parturition. If this window is missed (as no male is present), then the females of most strains will not return to estrus until closer to weaning or after weaning.
That depends on how old the mice are.
1. One male, one female and one litter (less than 22 days old)
2. One male, two females, two litters (no more than 12 pups total, less than 22 days old; see flow chart).
1. Note: Litters of significantly different ages (e.g., 20 days and 1 day old) should be separated immediately regardless of if there are less than 12 total pups in the combined litters.
3. One male, two females, two litters (if all pups are less than 14 days old, then any number is okay. If there are more than 12 pups in the combined litters, must separate by 14 days of age).
4. One male, three females
1. Use of this breeding scheme must be justified in your IACUC protocol.
2. Note: Best practice is to separate females when it is evident that they are pregnant if utilizing this breeding scheme, but if you are unsuccessful, separate one female and her litter between 3 and 5 days after birth.
You must separate the litters since you have a total of more than 12 pups in the cage and at least one of these litters is 14 days of age; remove one female and litter of eight pups to a different cage.
That is not sufficient to reduce the number of mice in the cage to a reasonable number. Instead, separate one litter and female to a different cage.
Submit an amendment in HoverBoard asking for a variance to wean these mice late. Please include:
1. Reason the variance is needed (be specific)
2. Breeding scheme and maximum number of adults and litters in the cage
3. An assurance that a new litter is born when older mice are in the cage, the new litter will be weaned (or explain why in your strain this is not an appropriate response).
If it is an emergency (mice are unexpectedly small), contact veterinary services for guidance.
If there are more than 12 pups in the cage with 3 adults (two females and a male), then before the pups are 14 days of age, separate one litter and dam and put them in a new cage. Note: Once the pups are weaned, you can return the female to the breeding cage with the other female and male.
Best practice is to set them up in breeding pairs (one male and one female).
No. The Guide and current federal regulations do not allow cost alone as justification for departures from the Guide. In addition, if the mice are too crowded, you will reduce breeding efficiency, so you may not save money in the long run.
Variances approved by the IACUC must be indicated clearly in the room. It is the PI’s responsibility to post these variances. The posted variance must contain:
1. PI name
2. Protocol number
3. Protocol expiration date
4. Language of approved variance