Closing an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) Protocol

It is important to know how to properly close a study that has been approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the Mount Sinai Health System. Commonly asked questions include:

Once a study has concluded and there is no plan to renew or continue the research outlined in an approved IACUC protocol, the principal investigator (PI) must ensure that the protocol has been closed and the IACUC has been informed regarding the disposition of the protocol.

The PI, their delegate, and the IACUC are authorized to close a protocol. The principal investigator and the authorized delegate must close the protocol if any of following criteria exist:

  • The protocol is not funded and the PI is unable to initiate the research.
  • The PI is no longer employed by the Mount Sinai Health System and there are plans to continue the research at another institution.
  • The research outlined in the protocol is complete and there is no plan to continue the study.

A final report must include all information regarding the study, including:

  • The disposition of animals remaining in the vivaria
  • Issues encountered during the study
  • Any adverse events
  • Research outcomes

Submit a Final Report within one to 10 business days of ending the study to:

The IACUC via the online protocol submission portal

  • The Mount Sinai Grants and Contracts Office
  • The external agency funding  the research

In addition, you must finalize financial arrangements. To do so:

  • Contact the Center for Comparative Medicine and Surgery (CCMS) department to settle outstanding expenditures associated with the protocol at (212) 241-3008.
  • Contact the Mount Sinai Finance Department and request that fund accounts linked to the closed protocol be unlinked.

All animals that remain in the Center for Comparative Medicine and Surgery vivaria after a protocol has been closed must be transferred to an approved IACUC protocol. Animals must not be housed in the vivaria under an expired or closed protocol. Contact the CCMS department to arrange for appropriate animal transfers at 212-241-3008.

For questions, contact the IACUC office at (212) 241-0153 or iacuc@mssm.edu

Note: All PIs who are terminating employment with the Mount Sinai Health System must close out all of their research projects with the IACUC and related departments (e.g., CCMS, Grants and Contracts Office, Finance Office.).

The PI must use the PI Exit Checklist to ensure the closure of all protocols and associated accounts.

PIs who plan to maintain laboratories within the Mount Sinai Health System in conjunction with heading a laboratory at another institution must contact the IACUC Office at (212) 241-0153 for further instructions.