The University of Southern California Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) oversees USC's animal programs, animal facilities, and policies ensuring appropriate care, ethical use and humane treatment of animals. The USC IACUC is a committee formed by animal–using scientists, scientists that do not use animals, non–scientists (e.g. biosafety and radiation safety specialists), veterinarians, and finally, public members not affiliated with USC. The IACUC serves as a resource to faculty, technicians, students, staff, and administrators, providing guidance in fulfilling the obligation to plan and conduct all animal use procedures required for research, teaching, and testing at USC.

USC’s animal research compliance program includes the following elements:

Education and Training

The IACUC offers education and training to all investigators and staff who conduct research involving animals.  There is one animal care and use training course required for all Principal Investigators, their staff and students working in laboratory animal facilities and/or handling animals or animal tissues for the purpose of a teaching or research protocol at the University of Southern California.  In addition to the initial training course, the IACUC requires that each investigator offer a “refresher” course on animal care and use at USC to their laboratory staff on an annual basis.

Policies and Procedures

USC’s policies and procedures related to the conduct of animal research may be found in the Animal Use Investigator Manual.

Monitoring and Auditing

The IACUC regularly conducts reviews and audits of studies under their review and oversight.  The IACUC also reviews all allegations of mistreatment, misuse, or noncompliance with respect to research involving animals.  All allegations are submitted via a USC Animal Incident Report Form, available in the Director’s Office, or on line at http://www.usc.edu/hsc/dar/problems/, and may be submitted anonymously.  After investigating allegations of mistreatment, misuse, or noncompliance, the IACUC then makes recommendations to the Institutional Official, who reviews the report and decides what action is needed, if any.