Personnel Training for Research Staff

Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee

UNTHSC Document #: 012; Version #: 04; Approved by IACUC  https://www.unthsc.edu/research/persona
Date: December 13, 2022

A. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

a. All personnel working with laboratory animals are required to complete online and in person training before being added to a protocol and handling animals, as well as the continuing education training requirements. This is to ensure that all personnel working with animals are aware of the regulations and guidelines that govern laboratory animal research, as well as ensuring an understanding of the importance of maintaining animal welfare.

B. RESPONSIBILITIES

a. It is the responsibility of the Principal Investigators (PI) to ensure that they and their lab staff have received all appropriate trainings before using animals in research, in addition to the continuing education training requirements.

b. IACUC is responsible for providing oversight and for evaluating the effectiveness of the training program

c. IACUC staff will ensure that personnel listed on a protocol have all required training.

d. DLAM will be responsible for providing the DLAM specific training, as outlined below.

C. PROCEDURES

a. All personnel (PIs, research staff, DLAM staff, students, summer students, etc.) are required to complete the training requirements.
b. The training requirements include:

i. CITI Training (CITI courses found at www.citiprogram.org):

1. Working with the IACUC

2. Post-Approval Monitoring (to be completed every 3 years)

3. Species-specific courses (based on species used).

4. Reducing Pain Distress in Laboratory Mice and Rats (for those using mice and/or rats).

5. Aseptic Surgery (for those conducting survival surgeries).

6. Antibody Production (for those involved in making and/or working with antibodies)

i. DLAM Specific Training:

1. DLAM Policy (to be completed every 5 years) (online): This training provides an overview of conducting animal research at UNTHSC. It covers the policies for entering the animal facilities, facility etiquette, and PPE requirements.

2. Vivarium Tour (in person) Page 2 of 3

3. DLAM Animal Handling (in person): This training provides a hands-on learning experience in properly handling each species, based on the species used. It will cover humane endpoints, recognizing pain and distress, and an        AVMA euthanasia discussion. It will also cover various restraint techniques and an overview of restraint devices. Based on protocols, the training will also cover monitoring of restraint devices, and tumor assessment.

4. DLAM Surgery (for those conducting survival surgeries):

a. DLAM online course in canvas providing an overview of aseptic techniques and proper pre-and post-operative care of the animals.

b. DLAM hands-on surgery training.

5. DLAM Biomethods course-upon request (injections etc…)

6. Infectious Agents/Biohazards (online; for those using infectious agents or biohazards): This training provides insights on the use of infectious agents and biohazards in animals.

c. Refresher Training:

i. CITI training: Anyone who completed it prior to 2010 will need to retake the courses so that records show up in the system.

ii. CITI Post-Approval Monitoring: This training expires every three years, and will need to be renewed at that time.

iii. DLAM Policy: This training expires every five years, and will need to be renewed at that time.

iv. There may be times that the IACUC requests re-training based on compliance concerns.

d. All training is documented by the IACUC and DLAM Offices. The training coordinator or instructor will be responsible for recording the DLAM training conducted (either in person or online) in the format of the training records maintained in the IACUC Office. The IACUC Office will be responsible for maintaining the CITI Training records.

e. Principal Investigators (PI) are responsible for training their staff on procedures specific to their protocol. DLAM staff is available to train staff on techniques, if necessary (contact the DLAM office for more information). PIs should have documentation of training their staff. This information should be available to the IACUC during audits and inspections. We have included in the attachments a Training Records Template that may be used for this. The main information that should be included in the training documentation would be as follows:

i. Name of the individual receiving the training,

ii. Name of the trainer,

iii. Protocol Number/ Species

iv. Name/ description of procedures/ techniques being trained

v. Date in which the training took place

f. All personnel must be added to a protocol with an amendment (or new protocol) to handle animals for research purposes. Note: this is not true for DLAM husbandry staff. Personnel that are no longer a part of the PI’s group should be removed from the protocol by submitting an amendment.

D. REFERENCES & ATTACHMENTS

a. Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources (2011). Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. National Academies Press, Washington, D.C.

b. Animal Welfare Act, Public Law 89-544 as amended; codified at 7 U.S.C. 2131-2159.

c. PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, NIH, Office of the Director, Revised 2015.

d. Training Records Template