Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee

Spring 2026

• Friday, January 9: Animal Use Application submissions open for Spring 2026
• Friday, February 6: Submission deadline for proposals
• Friday, February 20, 10-11:30AM: IACUC Committee Meeting (virtual)

Fall 2026

• Friday, August 28: Animal Use Application submissions open for Fall 2026
• Friday, September 25: Submission deadline for proposals
• Friday, October 9, 10-11:30AM: IACUC Committee Meeting (virtual)

Protocol amendments and/or modifications are reviewed on a rolling submission basis outside of the meeting schedule. Timeline for review of amendments and/or modifications is generally 2-3 weeks. Have a question about the scheduling for protocol submission? Contact IACUC@jwu.edu.

This form must be submitted prior to conducting research or teaching using animals. It is also used for protocol modifications or proposed amendments.

IACUC Animal Use Application

• What if I’m new to research? There are many resources available to support you as you embark on research. The Center for Teaching & Learning offers workshops on research and offers support to researchers at all phases of the research and writing process. Please contact CTL@jwu.edu for more information.
  
  
• I’m a new animal investigator. How do I start an IACUC application? You must fill out an Animal Use application, located above. A complete Animal Use application includes submission of certificates showing completion of CITI training, etc. Contact the IACUC at IACUC@jwu.edu with any questions.
  
  
• What are the meeting dates and submission deadlines for the IACUC? See schedule above. Generally, the IACUC meets every semester on the Friday of week 7. The deadline for proposal submission is two weeks prior to the meeting date.
  
  
• Who must submit an IACUC protocol? You must have a protocol approved by the JWU IACUC before you may obtain live, vertebrate animals or conduct any project involving research, teaching, or testing using live, vertebrate animals. The use of such animals in research, teaching and testing is a privilege, not a right, and it may be withheld or revoked by the IACUC.
  
  
• Who is a Principal Investigator (PI)? The person who assumes complete responsibility for a research project is considered the PI. The PI is responsible for submitting a complete Animal Use Application to the IACUC, supervising any and all co-principal investigators (Co-PIs) and/or research associates (e.g. research/teaching assistants and students), and managing external partnerships (subrecipients or contractors) engaged in the procedures and methods described in the Animal Use Application. Only full-time JWU faculty/staff may be listed as PI on an IACUC protocol. The IACUC only allows for a single person to be listed as PI, regardless of the number of Co-PIs and/or associates involved in the administration and execution of an approved Animal Use Application.
  
  
• Who is a Co-PI? Co-PIs, or co-principal investigators, are individuals who play a significant, leading role in designing, implementing and/or evaluating the proposed research, teaching or testing activities. This could be other full-time faculty/staff, students, part-time faculty/staff, or external partners.
  
  
• Who should be listed on a protocol? All faculty, staff, students, visiting scholars, consultants, or partners engaged in research, teaching or testing using live, vertebrate animals must be listed on a protocol. New personnel must be added to a protocol prior to their use of laboratory animals. All personnel must have the required training: CITI “Working with the IACUC” course, applicable species-specific modules, and hands-on training.
  
  
• Must all PIs (including co-PIs and research associates) undergo CITI training? Yes.
  
  
• What is CITI Program training? The Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI Program) provides “high quality, peer-reviewed, web-based educational courses in research, ethics, regulatory oversight, responsible conduct of research, research administration, and other topics.” JWU requires principal investigators (PIs), co-principal investigators (co-PIs), and all others involved in research to complete CITI Program training so that they are prepared to conduct their activities according to the highest ethical standards and promote a culture of trust and accountability. Contact IACUC@jwu.edu for more information.
  
  
• How do new personnel get added to an animal use protocol? The PI listed on the protocol must submit an amended Animal Use Application. New personnel on an animal study must complete all of the required training (i.e., on-line CITI modules, species-specific training) and be added to a protocol and approved before beginning any live animal work.
  
  
• Can an investigator begin animal work before receiving IACUC approval? No.
• For what kinds of species do I need to have an approved IACUC protocol? All warm and cold-blooded vertebrates (e.g., amphibians, fish, birds, rodents), both in the field and in the laboratory, require IACUC protocol review.
  
  
• Must I complete a protocol form if I use only lobsters, oysters, insects, or microorganisms in my research/teaching activities? No. You only need to complete the protocol form if you are working with vertebrate animals. The Public Health Service (PHS) Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals defines an animal as “any live, vertebrate animal used or intended for use in research, research training, experimentation, or biological testing, or for related purposes.” The Animal Welfare Act Regulations (AWAR) define an animal as “any live or dead dog, cat, nonhuman primate, guinea pig, hamster, rabbit, or any other warm-blooded animal, which is being used or is intended for use for research, teaching, testing, experimentation, or exhibition purposes, or as a pet. This term excludes birds, and rats and mice bred for use in research.”
  
  
• Do I have to complete an IACUC protocol if I am only using “animal parts”? If a live animal was not purchased by the investigator to obtain animal tissue, a protocol is not necessary. For example, if tissue is obtained from an abattoir or from another investigator who is providing tissue on an animal that has been obtained and euthanized for his approved research project, then a protocol does not have to be submitted.
  
  
• Who can I contact for advice about preparing an IACUC protocol? For help in preparing an Animal Use Application form, general assistance on policy/procedures, or for advice about the laws, regulations and policies that may affect your proposed use of animals, contact Associate Dean Jacquelyn Bowser, the IACUC Attending Veterinarian at 401-598-1057 or jbowser@jwu.edu, or reach out to the IACUC Committee Chair at IACUC@JWU.edu.
  
  
• What are the three Rs? The IACUC will consider the three “Rs” when reviewing protocols:
  
  ○ Refinements to research
  ○ Reduction of animal numbers
  ○ Replacement with non-animal models
  
  The federal mandate stated in U.S. Government Principle IV is to avoid or minimize discomfort, distress, and pain in experimental animals consistent with sound scientific practices, is synonymous with a requirement to implement refinements (e.g., less invasive procedures or use of analgesia). Similarly, the mandate in U.S. Government Principle III to use the minimum number of animals necessary to obtain valid results is synonymous with a requirement to reduce animal numbers. U.S. Government Principle III further states that mathematical models, computer simulation, and in vitro biological systems should be considered, and is synonymous with a requirement to replace non-animal models wherever possible. Thus, consideration of the three “Rs” should be incorporated into the animal use protocol, as well as other aspects of animal use (e.g., investigator training).
  
  
• What if my project is externally funded? In addition to involving the IACUC and submitting an Animal Use Application, PIs are required to contact Sponsored Program Administration at JWUSPA@jwu.edu or 401-598-2146.
  
  
• Is the IACUC required to review the grant application? PHS Policy and the NIH Grants Policy Statement (Part II, Terms and Conditions) require the institution to 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. This is not an explicit requirement for the IACUC to do a side-by-side comparison of an application/proposal and the IACUC protocol. However, institutions are responsible for ensuring that the information the IACUC reviews and approves is congruent with what is in the application/proposal.
  
  
• Is the IACUC responsible for judging the scientific merit of proposals? The IACUC is expected to include consideration of the U.S. Government Principles in its review of protocols. Principle II calls for an evaluation of the relevance of a procedure to human or animal health, the advancement of knowledge, or the good of society. Other PHS Policy review criteria refer to sound research design, rationale for involving animals, and scientifically valuable research. Presumably a study that could not meet these basic criteria is inherently unnecessary and wasteful and, therefore, not justifiable. It is not entirely possibly to separate scientific value from animal welfare – some overlap is inevitable. The IACUC may question the scientific rationale or necessity for a procedure.
  
  
• How long is IACUC approval of a protocol in effect? Three years. You should write the animal use application to include all work and all animals requested for three years. You will be required to rewrite and re-submit the protocol application every third year.
  
  
• Do I need IACUC approval before submitting a grant application? The answer depends on the requirements of the grant and its sponsor. In some cases, full or pending IACUC approval will be required prior to proposal submission. In other cases, sponsors will accept a proposal and notify the applicant that they should seek IACUC review and approval because funding is likely. This is called the “just-in-time” approach. For assistance with grant-funded work, contact JWU’s Director of Sponsored Program Administration by emailing JWUSPA@jwu.edu.
  
  
• What if my project changes after I’ve received IACUC approval? If anything in the approved Animal Use Application changes — the number or type of animals, a new co-PI, the departure of a co-PI, the number of activities performed, etc. — an updated Animal Use application form must be submitted, with the “Modified” box checked in part 4 of the form.
  
  
• Do I still need IACUC approval if my research or teaching activities are done off campus? If the research or teaching activities off campus are being conducted with the intent to disseminate it, then yes, an Animal Use Application must be submitted to the IACUC.
  
  
• What if my research or teaching takes longer than indicated in the Animal Use application? If research or teaching takes longer than indicated in the approved Animal Use application, the Animal Use application form must be re-submitted with the “Renewal of Protocol” box checked in part 4 of the form. The Animal Use application can be found above. This must be completed prior to expiration of the first approved Animal Use application. Still have questions? Email the IACUC Administrator: IACUC@jwu.edu.

CITI training is for JWU populations only.

Please note that you may see the following message, or a similar message, when enrolling in certain CITI modules.

“This module/webinar may contain content that is subject to interpretation under recent U.S. Executive Orders. Institutions should review the material in the context of their policies and regulatory obligations. If this module remains accessible to you, you may continue to complete it. For any questions, please contact your CITI Program Administrator.”

Johnson & Wales University has reviewed its policies and regulatory obligations as recommended, and has issued the following statement:

“Johnson & Wales University believes all people, regardless of their race, sex, or any other protected characteristic, cannot be discriminated against based on such characteristics. No person is superior to another based on race, sex, or any other protected characteristic. As this is an academic institution that values free expression, you may be exposed to courses, training, or other materials, including those presented in CITI modules, with many different viewpoints. Not all such viewpoints represent the university’s viewpoint.”

Please complete the modules that remain accessible to you and contact JWU’s CITI Program Administrator at Michael.Schrader@jwu.edu if you have any questions.

CITI Usage Guide (PDF)

Johnson & Wales University (JWU) employees and, as may be required by agreement or policy, agents, consultants, representatives, and other affiliated individuals will strive to safeguard the university’s financial, legal, and reputational standing and their own credibility and reputations, by promoting objectivity while engaged in research activities.

JWU’s Procedures for Identifying and Addressing Financial Conflict of Interest in Research (the “Procedures”), which are based on federal regulations published at 42 CFR Part 50, Subpart F, are intended to honor that commitment through the management of financial conflicts of interest (FCOIs) that may arise during research activities.

The complete policy, as well as the two-part Disclosure of Significant Financial Interests (SFI) form, can be read in full below:

FCOI in Research Policy (PDF)