Studies Using Animal Subjects

All Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) protocols for which the departing investigator is designated the Principal Investigator (PI) must be terminated, or an alternate PI should be designated via a protocol modification form. The IACUC Office (412) 383-2008 can provide further details about these procedures.

  • Prior to terminating IACUC protocols, all animals assigned to those protocols must be euthanized as specified in the protocol, transferred to another investigator’s protocol, or exported to the institution to where the PI is relocating. Animals can only be transferred if they have not, as yet, undergone manipulation, or the recipient protocol specifies the same manipulation procedures as the original protocol. If the animal is a proprietary model, which the University purchased or received from a third party, check with the Office of Sponsored Programs (412) 624-7400 to determine whether the University can transfer the animals to a third party. To transfer animals to another PI’s protocol within University of Pittsburgh laboratories, the PI must submit the transfer via the DLAR’s comprehensive animal management software (CAMS). To export rodents to another institution, the PI must submit an Animal Import/Export Request by downloading and completing the “Animal Import/Export and Third Party Project Application”, and submitting it to import@dlar.pitt.edu. For further information regarding the transfer or export of animals, contact the Division of Laboratory Animal Resources (DLAR).

  • If any departing personnel hold Access Cards to secure animal housing facilities, the DLAR must be informed of the individual’s departure. Access cards cannot be transferred to another investigator; they must be returned to the individual’s department administrator who is to cut all access levels and destroy the ID badge.