Investigator Information

The entire TTUHSC Animal Care and Use program and its associated vivaria are accredited by AAALAC, International (AAALAC #000989) and comply with Animal Welfare Act Standards (USDA Research Facility Registration #74-R-0050) and NIH-OLAW regulations (OLAW Assurance #A3056-01). The vivaria are located at four campuses. The Lubbock and Amarillo campuses have been accredited since June 2000 while the Abilene campus had new accreditation awarded in June 2009. Each vivarium is a central housing facility of conventional and specialized laboratory animals. The Lubbock vivarium (33,347 sq. ft.) contains a centralized cage wash facility, procedural space, housing for conventional rodents, barrier housing for immunodeficient and sterile rodents, and housing for non-rodent species. The Amarillo vivarium (6840 sq. ft.) has two rodent holding sites on the Amarillo campus with a centralized cage wash facility. The Abilene vivarium (3963 sq. ft.) contains a centralized cage wash facility, procedural space, ventilated microisolator housing for rodents, and sterile change-hoods.  

The following are LARC-approved vendors for purchasing animals for research and training purposes. Although subject to acclimation, they are not quarantined for infectious pathogens. We are confident in the quality of the animals they provide: Charles River Laboratories, National Cancer Institute, Covance Research Products, Harlan-Sprague Dawley, National Institute on Aging, Jackson Laboratories, Taconic, and Xenopus Express. In general, animals received from non-approved vendors (i.e. other universities, overseas vendors, research colonies, etc.) must be screened more cautiously to prevent introduction of infectious rodent pathogens into the vivarium. A copy of the last two health reports from the non-approved originating facility must be sent to the LARC Institutional Veterinarian (Fax 806-743-1028) prior to any shipment of live animals. Please check with your local LARC office at each campus when deciding on which animal vendors to use. We would be happy to help you find the right source of animals that will best fit your research and financial needs. Just a reminder...all animals MUST be ordered through your local LARC office.

The LARC is a full-service animal facility with general and specialized housing for common laboratory animals. Expansion space is available at each of our vivaria for importing additional animals, however caging supplies for transfer of large colonies of rodents requires additional purchase fitting your specific needs. With 4-5 month lead-times for acquisition of caging and supplies, be sure to communicate with the LARC both your immediate and future needs for animal housing.

LARC employs clinical veterinarians and veterinary technicians to monitor and advise on animal health. They have direct responsibility for animal health, euthanasia, and protocol suspension (when appropriate). The Institutional Veterinarian has final decision-making authority on these matters. All animals have daily checks (7 days per week) from the LARC animal care staff and veterinary technicians. The veterinarian will observe, diagnose, and supervise animal health concerns (including treatment and euthanasia) with the staff and veterinary technicians. Our philosophy is the veterinary team is an important part of your research laboratory, so should be encouraged to take part in protocol development and lab meetings that directly concern animal use. In addition, these trained professionals are available for assistance in your data collection activities including surgical expertise, humane euthanasia, necropsy, and tissue harvest. 

See the LARC website for a list of animal per diem fees for each campus. For grant writing purposes, assume an annual increase of 3% on animal per diem charges. Also, included on the website is site-specific justification information that can be used for justification of animal charges in grant applications. For additional information, please email the LARC office.

TTUHSC's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee is a key resource in developing your animal resource protocol.  According to the 1966 Animal Welfare Act (AWA), any institution that uses laboratory animals for research and/or instruction purposes must create and maintain an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) to oversee and evaluate the program. Per the AWA, the IACUC should include, at a minimum, a designated chairman, a veterinarian trained and experienced in laboratory animal science and medicine, as well as a member not affiliated with the institution.  Of course, many IACUC committees include more than three members; the only stipulation restricting this states that not more than three members can be from the same administrative unit. At least once every six months, the IACUC must conduct a thorough review of the institution's program for human care and use of animals.  Facility inspections must also be completed biannually to determine if the welfare of the animals is truly upheld.  Furthermore, any protocols (new or renewing), protocol amendments, addition/change/deletion of personnel, etc. must receive IACUC approval prior to authorization and activity. For more general information about the AWA, visit the Animal Welfare Act and Regulations website. For more information about the TTUHSC Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, please visit the IACUC website.

A TTUHSC investigator who seeks to use animals in research must complete the Protocol Application Form appropriate for the type of research to be conducted (research/training or breeding) along with the appropriate supporting documents, including relevant appendices for special provisions.  These documents should be submitted to the TTUHSC Office of Sponsored Programs well in advance of the desired research start date.  Protocol Application Forms may be obtained online at the IACUC website given above. The completed, submitted protocol application/amendment/document will be reviewed during a subsequent IACUC meeting, which occurs regularly on a monthly basis.  As stated on the IACUC webpage:

The primary considerations for approval are that animals are cared for and treated according to applicable Federal and TTUHSC guidelines.  While peer-review is NOT a primary function of the IACUC, all animal research must have a sound scientific basis.  Therefore, investigators must provide an explanation of scientific significance where requested in the application, since this information is essential for the final approval of a protocol.

Each protocol/amendment to be reviewed is assigned a primary reviewer, who serves as liaison between the committee and the investigator for the duration of the protocol.  Any errors, problematic issues, or questions that members of the committee may have are sent to the primary reviewer, who works with the investigator to either correct the errors/issues or develop an alternative approach to the aspect in question, prior to full IACUC review. Once approved, a specific revision of a protocol is valid and active for three years before it warrants complete renewal.  The investigator may, however, request permission to make some adjustments and/or changes to the protocol in the following areas with a complete, submitted protocol amendment:  Addition/deletion/change of a title, procedure location, personnel or PI, animal species, change of procedure, and request for additional animals. Furthermore, an annual progress report must be submitted in order to maintain active status for a protocol.  This is submitted to the IACUC committee in a similar fashion to amendments and protocols.
 

The Institutional Veterinarian is a helpful resource for investigators who are preparing protocols.  The IACUC strongly recommends contacting early in the process of preparing applications, renewals, or amendments to provide advice on the appropriate and optimal species-specific uses of procedures, anesthesia, analgesia, and euthanasia. Contact the LARC office phone at 806.743.2565 or via e-mail. 

The IACUC will not approve an item (i.e., application, amendment, or renewal) until the PI and all personnel have enrolled in the Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) program and completed the required Citi web training. All personnel listed on a protocol are required to enroll in the TTUHSC OHS Program.  However, enrollment in the program does not require participation in the program.  Upon receipt of an application for a new protocol or a protocol renewal/amendment adding new personnel, the LARC will send an e-mail notice to each (new) person listed on the protocol.  This e-mail notice will provide all necessary attachments to be completed and submitted to your local campus health or risk assessment nurse.  The nurse then provides the enrollment form for signature, and submits verification to the LARC that your enrollment in the OHS program is complete. Next, all personnel listed on a protocol are required to complete Citi web training modules pertaining to their particular study.  The link to the modules will also be provided in your e-mail notice from the LARC.  All protocol personnel are required to complete the basic "Laboratory Animals" module as well as any module available pertaining to the species to be used in the protocol.  Upon completion of each training module, the LARC will verify completion of training to the IACUC. 

The Animal Welfare Act requires that a medical record on all USDA-covered (regulated) species ("animal") be maintained from the day they arrive at the LARC until the day they have finished their requirement for the research.

Documentation of Animal Records for IACUC Inspection:

The IACUC requires each investigator to maintain a folder of the current IACUC protocol (including approval letters), animal records that demonstrate the use of individual and group animals (i.e. rodents), and laboratory posting of (1) current IBC license (2) whistleblower notification. The IACUC folder is best maintained as a 3-ring binder containing (1) a printed copy of the current (and previous, if applicable) IACUC protocol containing signatures of each protocol member to demonstrate IACUC protocol compliance (2) the printed IACUC outcome letter showing the protocol with amendments is currently active and approved (3) animal use records documenting the date animals were used on study and procedures/treatments given, including humane euthanasia.

Animal Medical Records (Clinical and Surgical):

The research staff is responsible for documenting every research and clinical procedure in the animal's medical record including daily progress notes.  Examples of documentation required include anesthesia given, medications with dosage and route of administration, surgery, and humane euthanasia.  Any medical treatment given to the animal should be recorded on the salmon treatment record card (for treatments not related to surgery) or on the green surgery card (for procedures/treatments/medications relevant to the surgery performed).

Treatments for clinical reasons may be administered by the research staff ONLY after receiving approval by the LARC veterinarian.  In addition, regulatory agencies require that the medical record for each regulated animal (except for USDA-covered rodents) be retained for at least three years after the animal is no longer in use in the animal facility. 

The LARC provides investigators and their staff with a portable anesthesia machine to be used for IACUC approved procedures.  Some investigators have purchased their own anesthetic equipment.

It is important to reduce the exposure to waste gases produced in laboratories.  Anything higher than 2 ppm (according to the American 1-h ceiling concentration) is considered high for stand-alone use of halogenated inhalation anesthetic agents.

We require that investigators maintain weight logs of F/Air canisters.  These logs demonstrate the increase in canister weight with the absorption of isoflurane vapor, and indicate when the canister must be replaced. Often, for convenience, the weight log is marked on the side of the canister. The log will be reviewed by the IACUC and OHS programs during semi-annual inspection to assure the canister is not expired and functioning properly.

Ways to Minimize Exposure to Waste Gases:

If a mask is used, make sure it has a tight seal around the animal's face.  If using F/Air canisters, record the weight before initial use and after each use.  After a 50-gram increase, place the canister in a plastic bag before it is discarded.  Thoroughly clean the induction chamber immediately after each use to avoid residual anesthetic waste release into the environment (which can continue to be released for up to three hours).  Before removing the animal from the induction chamber, close the in-line valve.  The vaporizer must be professionally calibrated at least once per year.

Scavenging System Options:

**BEST:  Perform all procedures, including use of the induction chamber, under a fume hood.  No F/Air canister required

**BETTER:  Connect a long corrugated hose from your breathing system (and/or induction chamber) to an exhaust outlet.  These outlets can be found by the wall vent.  The Physical Plant division can assess this for you.  Waste gases will be taken out through the vent in to the outside.  No F/Air canister required

**GOOD:  When using F/Air canisters, the manufacturer recommends replacing the canister after 50 grams of increment in weight relative to the initial weight and/or after 12 hours of use.  Smith and Bolon demonstrated significant release of isoflurane waste into the environment when canisters continued to be used beyond accumulation of 50 grams increment.  Accordingly, F/Air canisters must be replaced at that point.

Note:  The above recommendations are based on:  Smith, J.C., & Bolon, B.  (2002).  Atmospheric waste isoflurane concentrations using conventional equipment and rat anesthesia protocols.  Contemporary Topics, 41(2).

The LARC provides supplies for animal identification such as ear notching, tattooing and micro-chipping. Ear notching supplies are available free of charge to any active investigator. Use of the Ketchum tattooing system may be purchased for $10 per day. Use of the micro-chipping system may be purchased for $20 per day, and the micro-chips are available for $10 each.

The LARC also provides reusable containers for the transfer of mice and small rats. If you desire to use one of our containers (free of charge), contact any LARC staff member. These cages may be used to transport animals to laboratories both inside and outside the vivarium, but we require return of the transport container at the end of the day for cleaning. This will help prevent cross-contamination. After animals are returned to the vivarium, please leave the transport container in the dirty cage wash area for proper sanitation.

The LARC is eager to assist investigators in performing surgeries or providing guidance in their protocols. The fees for surgical services are based on time and materials, and we would be happy to provide you with a cost estimate for these services.  Please contact the LARC office at the appropriate facility to discuss your surgical needs.