We care for animals and help researchers succeed.

RARC News

New policy

The UW-Madison Animal Program recently approved a new campus policy that allows certain significant changes to animal protocols to be preapproved by the IACUC and administratively verified by designated veterinarians through a process called Veterinary Verification and Consultation (VVC).

The policy is based on new guidance from the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare on Significant Changes to Animal Activities (NOT-OD-14-126), its effort to support the use of performance standards and professional judgment and to reduce regulatory burden.

Please note that VVC is only appropriate for a small percentage of protocol amendments that meet the criteria in the preapproved guidance documents. Most protocol amendments will still need to undergo review and approval by designated or full-committee review of the IACUC. Protocol changes that meet the criteria for VVC may begin immediately following a consultation and verification by an ACUC-approved veterinarian. Please consult with your program veterinarian to determine if a planned protocol change can be handled with VVC.

Read about other new and amended ACAPAC policies.

ARROW

Working on your Arrow IACUC protocols? Check the Arrow Tips and FAQs webpage for a wealth of information. Need personalized help? Email Debbie.

Did you know?

The new PI Portal is a dashboard for all your research administration, compliance, and training information. As a PI, you can delegate viewing rights to anyone with a UW-Madison NetID (such as a lab manager). The VCRGE PI Portal website can get you onboard right away!

RARC newsletter

RARC now sends out quarterly newsletters to everyone on an active animal use protocol. If you did not receive a newsletter and would like one, please email the newsletter editor. Read past issues here.

RARC now provides more services!

Research Services

The highly trained staff of the Mouse Breeding Core can provide your lab with:

• Blood collections
• Timed matings
• Substance administration (injections, oral gavage)
• Mouse tissues
• And more!

Visit Mouse Research Services for more information.

Analgesic Services

Veterinary staff can provide your mice or rats with long-lasting analgesics upon request.

Visit Rodent Analgesia Service for more information.

Understanding the Role of Animals in Biomedical Research

An RARC outreach course for middle and high school students

Area instructors, particularly those teaching biology, veterinary science, or agriculture classes, are invited to schedule a visit to participate in this free outreach course presented by RARC trainers.

Topics covered include the benefits of biomedical research, the ethics of using animals in research, the training required for employees working with research animals, and career opportunities in the laboratory animal field. Students will also participate in an interactive hands-on lab, which can be tailored to fit specific course curricula.

To schedule a visit, contact UW-Madison Campus and Visitor Relations or RARC.

For more information on biomedical research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, visit Animals in Research and Teaching at UW-Madison.