Research Protections

The Office of Research Protections at Appalachian State University implemented the Animal Oversight protocol-processing software by Cayuse in June 2022. Paper forms no longer exist. All existing protocols (the final PDFs, amendments, permits, etc.) were migrated into Cayuse with their original expiration dates.  Notifications for continuing (annual) reviews and three-year expiration will come from the Cayuse system. Please check your spam box if you are not receiving these notifications. 

To Access the system, click on the Animals (IACUC) tab at the top of the page to take you back to the home landing page. Click the “Animal Oversight (IACUC) Log in” button located in the left column with the CITI training button and log in with your AppState ID and password.

In order to obtain IACUC approval, the following items should be completed

1. Complete the required CITI training module. For information on how to take this online course, see the training instructions on the Research Protections web page.
2. Complete the species-specific training module for each species you plan to work with. Some of these species (Mice, Frogs, Toads, Rats, Hamsters, Gerbils, Guinea Pigs, Rabbits, Zebrafish) are on the CITI site and you can add the modules to your training list. Others are in the IACUC Community AsULearn site, under the Species Specific Training block.
3. Fill out the appropriate Health Risk Assessment form and send to iacuc@appstate.edu.
   1. Students who have paid their student health fees should use the Student form.
   2. Everyone else should use the Faculty/Staff form (includes students who have not paid the health fee).
4. The Health Risk Assessment is screened and if any follow up is needed, you will be contacted by the Environmental Health, Safety & Emergency Management office.
5. It is your responsibility to complete any follow up requests.
6. Field Studies-Submit all required permits to complete your study via the attachment feature in Cayuse.  Most permits are only for 1 year.  A valid permit is required before the IACUC will approve a continuing review protocol.
7. You will not be cleared for working with animals until you have completed your required training and your completed Health Risk Assessment form has been reviewed and cleared.

 Things to consider when drafting your protocol review request:

 Understanding what the IACUC considers when reviewing a protocol request can be beneficial for PIs to make the review process easier, but also to encourage careful considerations by the PI when designing the research. The following are some of the main focus areas considered by the IACUC during a review:

1. No duplicative activities to previous experiments (requires a thorough search).
2. Careful consideration of species and numbers requested; only using the minimal # of animals while maintaining the integrtity of the research. Justifiable rationale for using live animals.
3. Qualifications of personnel.
4. Procedures are designed to minimize pain and distress. All procedures are clearly understood and thoroughly documented.
5. Housing and care, including veterinary care, of animals are clearly identified and addressed.
6. Research and humane endpoints are identified and planned.

The IACUC follows the guidelines for review and animal use approval using regulations from the USDA (Animal Welfare Act), the PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, The Guide to the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, the FASS Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Research and Teaching, the AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia.

For more information on review criteria, visit the Regulations section of our Resources page, or our Forms page and download the Reviewer's Checklist.