IACUC Protocol Information

Protocol Applications and Modifications: Submission Instructions

INFOED FOR ANIMAL CARE AND USE PROTOCOLS

The InfoEd Animal Use/ IACUC module is available for use within the UConn Health InfoEd eRA Portal at https://uchealth.infoed.uconn.edu. This is the same portal that many researchers use for disclosing Financial Conflicts of Interests in Research or to view SPS grant proposal/award information. The Animal Use / IACUC module will be available once a user logs in. The InfoEd eRA portal is secured by UConn (Storrs) NetID which usually uses the format of your initials / three letters and a sequence of five numbers (e.g. abc12345). It is different from your UConn Health domain account login. If you don’t know your NetID, you may look it up at https://netid.uconn.edu. You may obtain NetID and password assistance by calling University ITS at 860-486-4357.

If you have technical computer questions, experience any difficulties with using the InfoEd stystem, discover any issues, or see things that just don’t seem quite right, please document them by creating screenshots and provide a synopsis of the steps you took prior to seeing the issue. Please send these materials to era-support@uconn.edu – NOT THE IACUC OFFICE. Most Research IT staff telecommute so they may be unable to answer the main support line at 860-486-7944, but you may leave a detailed message and staff will call you back or reply back via email as soon as possible. Each voicemail automatically creates an eRA help desk ticket via email. Again, NetID login/password assistance should be directed to the UITS Support Center at 860-486-4357.

If you need something added to a drop-down menu (e.g., name of a new hazard, new room location, name of a procedure, etc.) please send an email to the IACUC office. Do not send your request directly to the OVPR IT Helpdesk.

Please note that InfoEd has the ability to attach documents. IACUC practices state that documents are only allowed to supplement information, not replace information. In addition, you cannot attach or reference “living” documents (such as google docs). Anything referenced or linked to InfoEd must be “static”.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON 3-YEAR RENEWALS:

3 YEAR RENEWAL PROTOCOLS – These are to be processed as INITIAL APPLICATIONS and you select “3-year renewal” as the protocol renewal type.

By law, 3 year renewals require a de novo review, which we do by having the PI create a new protocol which will be identified as a 3-year renewal in InfoEd.

In InfoEd, you need to select ‘new protocol’ for your form type whether it is a true new protocol or a three year renewal protocol. Once you are in the eform, in Section 1 “Information”, the second question “Protocol Renewal Information” will default to “new protocol”. If your protocol is a 3-year renewal, you must select “3-year renewal” from the drop down menu in the question “Protocol Renewal Information”.

If you are doing procedures categorized as pain category D and/or E, you MUST have an updated veterinary consultation – required even if you haven’t “changed” anything from the old protocol. Submissions will not be processed if an updated veterinary consultation has not been performed and attached to the document.

PLEASE NOTE: In section 1 “Administration” the first question is protocol title. InfoEd defaults the title question to “new protocol submitted by ‘PI name’ on ‘date and time'”. You must change the name from this default title to your actual protocol title. Protocols cannot be processed without an appropriate title.

Helpful Information

The following are examples of different aspects of the animal care and use protocol form.

The IACUC office has a workbook entitled “Working with the IACUC: Writing an Animal Protocol” which was written by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AAALAS). It is a good resource for individuals who must write animal care and use protocols. You can get a copy by going to the IACUC office or contacting the IACUC office at ooacc@uchc.edu.

Recombinant Animals Forms and Tables – Excel to Upload into InfoEd

The below Excel files are used for new InfoEd protocols where Section 13 on the InfoEd eform applies. Users fill out the Excel file(s) and upload them in the appropriate area of InfoEd when appropriate for their study.

Recombinant Rodent Information Table (RRIT)

Recombinant Rodent Compliance Form (RRCF)

Recombinant Non-Rodent Information Table (RNRIT)

Animal Safety Protocols – Word documents

The use of chemical hazards, infectious agents, human materials, and radioactive materials in animal may require an animal safety protocol. The IACUC has developed Word documents that are separated into sections – you need only complete the sections required for your particular hazard and use. Please use the chart below to determine which sections of the safety protocol are required for your hazard(s). Then download the documents, complete them, and send them to the IACUC Administrator. Please note that Section J is a help document for you and you should print it out to help you when you fill out your relevant sections of the safety protocol.

Download and complete all sections required. DO NOT ATTACH TO INFOED. Send all forms to the IACUC Administrator only. The forms say something different in the instructions; we cannot change them at this point, so please follow this directive. DO NOT PDF SECTION I AND COLLECT SIGNATURES AT THIS POINT. Once the animal safety protocol is approved, it will be attached to InfoEd by the IACUC office at approval of the protocol. Then you can print out the animal safety protocol and obtain required signatures (after people have read the documents, of course!).

Please do not combine your Word Document Sections. Please keep them separate.

IF YOU NEED TO MODIFY AN ANIMAL SAFETY PROTOCOL – please contact the IACUC office. The IACUC office will send you what you will need to modify your animal safety protocol.

	Sections A/B	Section C	Section D	Section E	Section F	Section G	Section H	Section I
Chemical hazard	X	X					X	X
Infectious agent	X		X				X	X
Human material	X			X			X	X
Infectious agent concurrently with Human material	X		X	X			X	X
Chemical hazard used concurrently with [infectious agent and/or human material]	X	X	X (as applicable)	X (as applicable)	X		X	X
Radioactive material	X					X	X	X