Navigator Newsletters

HoverBoard Upgrade

Hoverboard, our electronic protocol management system, is scheduled for an upgrade in early February to improve functionality and better support your research needs.

The expected downtime is 2/7/2025 – 2/9/2025.

We encourage you to plan ahead—particularly for triennial reviews and other time-sensitive protocol submissions. Though we are making every effort to minimize disruption to response and review time, it is possible that these will be impacted during the upgrade period.

Please stay tuned for updates and resources. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to oawrss@uw.edu for assistance.

3Rs Pilot Funding!

We are excited to launch the second year of our 3Rs Pilot Funding Program! We’re seeking bold, innovative projects that further the replacement, reduction, and refinement (3Rs) of animal use in research.

Up to five awards of $10,000 each are available. Submit your proposal by January 3, 2025.

Learn more and apply online today!

IACUC Policy Updates

The IACUC recently reviewed and revised the following two IACUC Policies:

Adhesion Grading Scale in Non-Human Primates

In consultation with WaNPRC veterinary staff, the adhesion scoring system was modified to better reflect veterinary interpretation of the clinical condition of the animal. Review this policy if your protocol involves abdominal surgery in non-human primates.

Blood Collection in Research Animals

Minor edits were made to clarify that tail transection is not considered a routine method of blood collection in mice. Review this policy if your protocol involves blood collection.

Check out the IACUC Policies page for additional policies that may be relevant to your research.

Policies that have been recently updated are now labeled with an orange badge.

Tail Tipping with Mice

There has been an increase in incidents involving tail tip amputation of mice across multiple labs.

Tail tip amputation is permitted only under the following conditions:

IACUC Approval is required. Check your protocol in Hoverboard and submit an amendment if necessary.

For Mice Under 28 Days of Age, tail tip amputation may be performed without anesthesia or analgesia, provided that no more than 3 mm of tissue is removed.

For Mice Over 28 Days of Age or any time more than 3 mm is removed, tail tip amputation must be conducted under appropriate anesthesia (e.g., ketamine/xylazine, isoflurane) and accompanied by at least one dose of a systemic analgesic (e.g., buprenorphine, meloxicam, ketoprofen, carprofen).

Tail tip amputation, also referred to as tail transection, is not considered a routine method of blood collection in mice. Please refer to the UW IACUC policies on genotyping in mice and blood collection in rodents for additional guidance:

Genotyping of Laboratory Mice- IACUC Policy.

Blood Collection in Research Animals- IACUC Policy.

Check Water and Food Levels

With the winter holiday season here, many people are taking long weekends.

Don’t let the water or food get lower than 1/3 in the cage.

It is important to check the water and food levels in cages to ensure there is enough in the cage so that no animals go thirsty or hungry.

Check out the lesson: Check Water and Food.

Two new resources to help researchers avoid needlesticks and sharps injuries by eliminating sharps or substituting for safer devices.

Find the Sharps Safety Tools and Resources presentation and poster on the recently updated Sharps Safety webpage.