Please note that use of all vertebrate animals at Einstein is under the oversight of the IACUC. No project using animals may begin without prior review and approval of an animal use protocol or modification by the IACUC. This includes experimental procedures that will be performed outside of Einstein by a collaborator, as per the IACUC policy.
An animal research project can only be conducted at Einstein by a fulltime faculty who is in residence. There must be a faculty investigator who will be completely responsible for the project and for everyone involved in the project.
Any and all vertebrate animals to be used in research or teaching by an investigator must be covered by an IACUC approved animal use protocol. This includes animals that are bred in house, acquired from colleagues, or purchased from vendor sources.
You MUST complete and submit the appropriate animal use protocol or amendment through eSIRIUS (contact Dr. Sunder Shrestha at 718.839.7145 regarding access to eSIRIUS). Please note:
- Incomplete forms will be returned.
- You may not perform any of the experiments outlined in the animal use protocol or modification until you have received notification from the IACUC that said protocol or modification has been approved.
Once the IACUC receives the animal use protocol or modification, it will be assigned to Full Review or Delegated Review. The review process can take at minimum 4 weeks. However, it can take longer depending on:
- date of submission of protocol or modification (see deadline for submission of protocols).
- extent of revisions required.
- timely submission of revisions by Principal Investigator (PI).
Assignment of Protocol
If an animal use protocol or modification is assigned to full review it must be reviewed by the entire IACUC at a monthly meeting. Animal use protocols and modifications with the following characteristics MUST go through the Full Review process:
- Protocol or modification proposing the use of hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, rabbits, cats, dogs, farm animals, lizards, or other species regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture EXCEPT for protocols proposing the production of polyclonal antibodies by an approved contract facility using standard methods.
- Protocol or modification in which proposed animal models (of any species) are expected to develop serious, clinically apparent disease.
- Protocol or modification in which single major survival surgery or multiple major survival surgeries are proposed in any species. Major survival surgery is surgery where a body cavity is entered or surgery has the potential to cause a substantial or permanent impairment of physical or physiological function.
- Any protocol or modification which an IACUC member recommends for Full Review. Only one member needs to make this recommendation.
Animal use protocols and modification assigned to delegated review will be assigned, by the IACUC, to one or more reviewer(s). The protocol or modification will not have to be reviewed by the IACUC at a monthly meeting. However, a summary of the protocol or modification will be provided to the IACUC members. Please note that the reviewer(s) may bump the protocol or modification up to Full Review at any time.
Please see "Full Review Process" or “Delegated Review Process” for step by step of review process.
You will receive notification by e-mail when your animal use protocol modification or modification has been approved by the IACUC.
Once your animal use protocol or modification has been approved, AND NOT BEFORE, you may order animals through the Institute for Animal Studies (IAS). Acquisition of animals is centrally coordinated by the Institute for Animal Studies (IAS). Please note that animals to be obtained from colleagues from another academic institution or non-commercial resource are also arranged through the IAS.
