Review Process
Animal Use Protocols using ARISE
ACUC applications are known as animal use protocols (AUPs) and are completed and maintained online using the Animal Module in the Alberta Research Information Services (ARISE) system. Access to the Animal Module is restricted to University staff and students who have completed Part 1: Basic Animal Care and Use Course.
Additional information
Contact
You can also contact Research Ethics Office directly at any time for further assistance.
Timelines
We recommend that you submit an AUP at least 90 days prior to when you plan to begin your animal use activity. This will normally allow sufficient time for all required reviews and approvals (e.g. facility; biohazard, chemical and radiation safety; and ACUC review processes). Submission deadlines for ACUC meetings can be found on the description pages for each of the Animal Care and Use Committees.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
To facilitate the work of both protocol authors and ACUC members, CCAC encourages the use of formal, written, standard operating procedures (SOPs) for commonly used animal procedures wherever possible. In addition to promoting consistent and verifiable processes, SOPs offer investigators an alternative to writing detailed procedures in their protocol.
There are three options for use in your AUP:
- Institutional SOPs: Institutional SOPs (iSOPs) acceptable to all University ACUCs and animal services units, are available to users of the Animal Module from within the ARISE system. A listing of available iSOPs can be viewed on the Animal Resources page.
- Facility specific SOPs: The animal services units also maintain SOPs for procedures carried out by their staff. These facility SOPs must be requested from the appropriate unit and attached to the online animal use application.
- PI specific SOPS: Researchers may develop their own SOPs for use by their research teams (use the SOP Template in the Forms Cabinet).
Institutional SOPs (iSOPs) acceptable to all University ACUCs and animal services units, are available to users of the Animal Module from within the ARISE system. A listing of available iSOPs can be viewed on the Animal Resources page.
The animal services units also maintain SOPs for procedures carried out by their staff. These facility SOPs must be requested from the appropriate unit and attached to the online animal use application. Finally, individual PIs may develop their own SOPs for use by their research teams (use the SOP Template in the Forms Cabinet).
Animal Research Involving Two or More Institutions
University staff and students participate in research collaborations and partnerships all over the world AND the University receives visiting students and scholars from a host of countries and institutions.
Despite many nuances that arise in this type of collaboration, in almost all cases a review must be done by one of the Animal Care and Use Committees at the University of Alberta. This document outlines some potential scenarios that can arise in collaborative research (UAPWC 2016), and how the ACUC will handle the review and approval.
Related Links
Animal ethics review at the University of Alberta is guided by:
- Canadian Council on Animal Care Guidelines (CCAC)
- Animal Protection Act (Government of Alberta)
- Alberta Veterinary Standards
- Animal Ethics Policy (UAPPOL)
Merit Review
Some types of animal-use protocols require the following:
Pedagogical Merit Review
All animal-based teaching and training activities require the submission and approval of an Animal Use Protocol by the Course Instructor. This may include teaching, training activities/programs for research, and testing team members (e.g., graduate students, principal investigators, technicians in contract research organizations), as well as non-degree/diploma/ certificate credit courses (e.g., professional development or continuing education workshops) provided by faculty or other institutional personnel at the University of Alberta.
Per CCAC guidelines, review of these applications for pedagogical merit must be in place prior to the application being reviewed by an Animal Care and Use Committee. For ongoing courses, pedagogical merit review must occur every four (4) years OR whenever the course content changes with respect to the use of animals as part of the course.
Instructors should plan course objectives, outcomes, lab plans, assignments, and assessment methods, with the following principles in mind:
- Learning objectives and outcomes that require the use of animals must be described in the formal course outline.
- Clear learning assessment methods that align with the desired outcomes must be described (how will students be evaluated on knowledge or skill acquisition that involves or requires animals) and both must align with learning activities in support of the outcomes.
- The learning activities involving a live animal, or requiring the use of a live animal (e.g. ones euthanized to obtain tissues) must be clearly described.
- If live animals (or samples obtained from live animals) are specifically involved in proposed learning activities (the reason for conducting a pedagogical merit review), and the learning assessment methods directly involve animals, and learning outcomes specify knowledge, experience or skills dependent on the use of animals, then there is constructive curriculum alignment and potentially pedagogical merit of the live animal-based teaching or training.
- As part of the AUP submission process, the Principal Investigator should complete the Pedagogical Merit Review of Live Animal Based Teaching or Training Form A ().
- This form should be uploaded to the AUP in the Documentation section (Section 17 4.0), along with the required Attachments per Form A (in Section 17 5.0)
- Course Syllabus highlighting the specific animal use
- Lab Manual (sections pertaining to animal use)
- Other relevant handouts or documents:
- If this is a course that involves competencies or skills required by a regulatory body (medical, veterinary, etc.) attach the document that outlines the requirement.
- If this is a credit course or part of an Academic Program, provide a summary of the Academic Program that this course fits into, along with the intended learning outcomes for the program, indicating how the animal use is necessary to achieve program outcomes.
- If the Course Syllabus does not clearly outline the learning outcomes and goals of the course relating to animal use, attach a document describing them.
- Attach any prior student assessments or course or session evaluations that were done that provide feedback on the animal-based teaching/training.
- Any other relevant documents.
- Submitting the AUP in the online system will initiate the Pedagogical Merit Review Process.
- The Principal Investigator will be contacted (via email outside of the online ethics system) by the Pedagogical Merit Committee members for any questions related to the Form A/submission.If any changes are required the AUP will be sent back to the applicant to make changes in the online application system.
- Once the Pedagogical Merit Review process has been completed, the application will be forwarded to the ACUC to initiate the review process within the online ethics system.
More Information
Scientific Merit Review
Research studies that involve the use of animals require evidence of scientific merit before they can be considered for approval by the University of Alberta's Animal Care and Use Committees. When an application submitted to the ACUC has not been reviewed and/or funded by a peer reviewed grant competition, an independent review must be solicited by the Research Ethics Office.
Researchers will be asked to complete the PI Research Summary and be asked to provide the names of two possible experts in the field, which may (or may not) be used by the Research Ethics Office to obtain the review. Only after the receipt of two favorable merit reviews will the review by the ACUC be allowed to proceed.