Submissions to the IACUC
Protocols are submitted via the Cayuse Animal Oversight module, an online protocol management software system, accessible through the College’s Okta Single Sign-On (SSO) portal.
Protocol Submissions
Protocols must be submitted three weeks in advance of the scheduled IACUC meeting to be eligible for review. This allows adequate time for the committee to conduct a proper review and request any necessary modifications. Protocols submitted in less time may not be reviewed until the next scheduled meeting.
For questions regarding the IACUC review process, to request a Cayuse overview or if you are having difficulty signing in to the Cayuse platform, please contact the iacuc@bowdoin.edu.
New Study
New animal research studies can be sumitted to the IACUC via Cayuse. Please build time into your research plan for back and forth communication as there are usually questions or requested revisions from the committee before approval can be secured. Once the approval has been granted, the researcher will receive a letter from Cayuse indicating the protocol number and expiration (3 years from date of approval)
No research may begin before written approval has been issued.
No research animals may be obtained prior to receiving written approval.
Amendments
Principal Investigators must get approval before making changes to activities in approved protocols. To submit these changes to the IACUC, please complete an amendment form via Cayuse.
Guidance on what is considered a significant change to an ongoing animal activity that requires IACUC review can be found in NIH Guide Notice NOT-OD-14-126 or Significant Changes webpage.
Continuing Review
The continuing review form is submitted to the IACUC via Cayuse annually. A continuing review form helps to inform the IACUC of the current status of the project. It is meant to be a quick check-in and should not require a significant amount of time to complete.De Novo
Per federal regulations, animal research protocols may be approved for a maximum of three years. At the end of the three-year approval, a de novo protocol application must be submitted to the IACUC for review via Cayuse.
Animal Use Questionnaire
The Animal Use Questionnaire is part of our Occupational Health and Safety Program, and is a legal requirement of our assurance with the federal office of Laboratory Animal Welfare of the federal National Institute of Health.
The questionnaire will help identify any special accommodations or additional resources individuals may need in order to perform studies or research safely, and to reduce the risks of illness or injury. The questionnaire will also help track any occupational health related issues that may occur over time as a result of working with vertebrate animals at Bowdoin. Specifically, the questionnaire is designed to assess the risk of developing allergies or contracting a disease from vertebrate animals.
The information on the submitted questionnaire will be kept confidential and privacy rights will be protected to the fullest extent permitted by law, as governed by The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 Privacy and Security Rules (HIPAA). Medical reviews of the completed questionnaires will be conducted confidentially by qualified occupational health professionals, and only a simple approval or denial form will be provided back to the IACUC OHS group.
The questionnaire should be completed within 30 days of prior to the date you will begin working directly and repeatedly with vertebrate animals or vertebrate animal tissues under the auspices of the College in the next year. Advisors should distribute this to their students who qualify. The questionnaire is required annually.