TCNJ Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) Policy on Animal Research

The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) reviews protocols for the care and use of vertebrate animals used for teaching and/or research purposes at the College of New Jersey. This includes:

All grant proposals involving research with live vertebrate animals submitted for federal funding which require the filing of a Special Assurance with the Department of Health and Human Services:
All requests for the College of New Jersey mini-grant funds, released time, or sabbatical leaves for research purposes involving live vertebrate animals.

All protocols involving vertebrate animals are reviewed for:

Procedures with animals will avoid or minimize discomfort, distress, and pain to the animals, consistent with sound research design;
Procedures that may cause more than momentary or slight pain or distress to the animals will be performed with appropriate sedation, analgesia, or anesthesia, unless the procedure is justified for scientific reasons in writing by the investigator;
Animals that would otherwise experience severe or chronic pain or distress that cannot be relieved will be painlessly sacrificed at the end of the procedure or, if appropriate, during the procedure;
The living conditions of animals will be appropriate for their species and contribute to their health and comfort.
The housing, feeding and nonmedical care of the animals will be directed by a scientist trained and experienced in the proper care, handling, and use of the species being maintained or studied;
Personnel conducting procedures on the species being maintained or studied will be appropriately qualified and trained in those procedures.