1. Research Approvals and Biosafety
Researcher in lab

Working With Animals

RESEARCH

At the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, we support the responsible and ethical use of animals in research, as it is essential to understanding biological processes in health and disease, and to developing new treatments for both chronic and life-threatening illnesses. This responsibility is one we hold with great care. Laboratory animals are living creatures deserving of respect and compassion, which is a belief shared by our scientists, who adhere to stringent laws, regulations, and established practices to ensure animal welfare.

Over the past century, animal research has been a cornerstone of virtually every major medical discovery. These animals contribute irreplaceable insight into human systems and remain crucial to conquering diseases such as Alzheimer's, cancer, diabetes, depression, heart disease, Parkinson's, and many others.

Obtaining Approval for Animal Research

Principal Investigators (PIs) who plan to engage in research, training, or teaching that involves live vertebrate animals must obtain approval from the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). To do so, an application must be submitted through the IACUC’s online portal, eIACUC.

Each application includes the following:

  • Research value to human or animal health
  • Design of the study
  • Rationale for using animals
  • Choice of animal species
  • Details on specific procedures involving animals
  • Measures you will take to ensure the well-being of your experimental subjects

Please note submission, processing, and review take place online through eIACUC. Prior to submitting an application, PIs must complete mandatory training on the eIACUC system. Training is offered through Peak, by searching “eIACUC remote training” and by searching “eIACUC videos”. Biweekly help sessions are also available through the Office of Animal Care, Use, and Welfare. Those seeking additional information may contact us.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Animal Welfare Act Regulations (AWAR) state that a PI is “an employee of a research facility, or other person associated with a research facility, responsible for a proposal to conduct research and for the design and implementation of research involving animals.”

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and IACUC require a PI to be a faculty member. However, a post-doctoral fellow may also be a PI on a grant and listed as such on the IACUC protocol, given a senior faculty mentor is also listed on the application.

Mandatory training is required prior to working with laboratory animals. The IACUC requires Principal Investigators to take the Rigor and Reproducibility and Species modules related to their area of study through the CITI Program. Study team members are required to take Species modules related to their PI’s area of study. Please contact the Office of Animal Care, Use, and Welfare for instructions on signing up.

The Center for Comparative Medicine and Surgery Training Coordinator also provides initial and periodic seminars, online courses, and laboratory demonstrations, and can be reached at (212) 241-3008. Topics include animal care and husbandry; experimental techniques (e.g., animal handling, blood collection, and euthanasia); safe working practices; federal and institutional regulations; IACUC policies; facility access and operations; and security.

Please consult the Center for Comparative Medicine and Surgery Director, Jonathan Cohen, DVM, DipAclam, to discuss logistics of your research. You may also contact IACUC Chair Stacey Baker, PhD, or IACUC Director Janice Gates-Porter, PhD, to discuss your research aims.

The IACUC grants project approval for animal research after all reviews have been completed, including a safety and risk assessment conducted by the Institutional Biosafety Committee, and all responses to any requests for protocol modifications have been provided.

Approvals are valid for three years. Progress reports are due at the beginning of the second and third years of the triennial approval period. At the end of this period, a new IACUC application must be submitted to continue research.

Once a protocol has been approved and the research begins, the IACUC oversees the research by reviewing the annual progress report, monitoring animal health and well-being, and by reviewing the progress of protocols that risk morbidity, severe debilitation, or mortality of experimental subjects. This is referred to as the Post-Approval Monitoring Program. The IACUC also conducts federally required semi-annual inspections and unannounced laboratory inspections.

The IACUC provides information on animal care and use, IACUC applications, institutional policies and federal regulations, as well as guidance on external sources of information, resources, and support.

The International Biosafety Committee can tell you about occupational health and safety, and standard operating procedures for handling hazardous materials.