Protocol Overview
- What All PIs Need to Know
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- Request Grant Congruence
- Submit
- Comply
- Renew and Update
- Terminate
- Wildlife Waiver
Related Policies
- UW-4132, Veterinary Verification and Consultation (VVC)
- UW-4113, Protocol Non-Compliance
- UW-4114, Principal Investigator Status
IACUC Office Staff:
Once a PI submits a new or renewal protocol, this is the typical process:
- RARC staff assigns the protocol to the appropriate IACUC for review based on where the animals are housed. (If a veterinary prereview is required, RARC staff routes the protocol to the appropriate veterinarian first.)
- The IACUC reviews the protocol. The committee can approve the protocol outright, require modifications, or defer review to a future meeting after the PI makes substantial revisions.
- ARROW communicates the IACUC's decision to the investigator. If a revision is required, the PI must make the necessary protocol changes in ARROW before resubmitting it for approval.
- Approval times vary widely; depending on the complexity of the protocol, the submission-to-IACUC-approval process can range from 10 to 90 days or longer.
- Once the protocol is approved, work with animals may begin.
- An approved animal protocol is a contractual agreement between a PI and the IACUC. PIs must amend the protocol and obtain IACUC approval of the changes before they can use procedures, animals, and lab personnel not identified in their approved protocol. Some changes may be eligible for Veterinary Verification and Consultation (VVC). See policy UW 4132 or contact your veterinarian to begin the process.
- Once every year, investigators must complete a brief annual update in ARROW to maintain the active status of their protocol. PIs are notified when the update is due.
- A de novo protocol submission and IACUC review is required every three years. The renewal process is completed within ARROW, and PIs are notified when upcoming renewals are due.
- Projects that involve non-contact, observational studies of wildlife species in the field may not require an IACUC-approved protocol. Contact the IACUC office or an RARC veterinarian for more information or review the information on this page. Researchers may want to contact the editors of journals in which data from these studies may be published for journal-specific expectations of IACUC approval.