Facility Use
Authorization to Use the CCMS Facility
The principal investigator must first submit an application to obtain a protocol from the Mount Sinai Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee in order to obtain authorization to use facilities for the Center for Comparative Medicine and Surgery. The IACUC has 19 members, and the membership includes a veterinarian, a person not affiliated with the institution, and 17 faculty from 14 departments. The committee meets the third Wednesday or Thursday of each month to conduct full-committee reviews of applications.
Once the completed application has been submitted, all members are asked to complete a Review Form, which is to be returned within 10 days of the original mailing. IACUC members may approve, disapprove, request further information, propose modification, or request a review by the full committee of any protocol. Any unusual concerns raised by any committee member are brought to the attention of the full committee.
Members may request to review or designate the Chair to evaluate responses. At full committee reviews, a majority vote is required for approval. When full committee review is not required or requested, approval by at least one member of the IACUC, designated by the Chair, is required, provided that no objections are raised by any committee member.
All protocols involving vertebrate animals, including intramural funded studies, teaching courses, and pilot studies, are reviewed in the same manner. Before starting any studies involving vertebrate animals, investigators are required to submit an application form entitled "Vertebrate Animal Study Proposal". No study or teaching course can commence prior to IACUC approval. Depending on the methodologies required for the study, investigators may also be required to submit additional information in the form of Appendices for:
- Major surgery
- Production of genetically modified animals
- Antibody production
A copy of the "Vertebrate Animal Study Proposal" and relative appendices are forwarded to all members of the IACUC for review. In cases of internally funded studies or pilot studies, the complete research proposal is also included. For extramural application, the proposals are available from the Grants and Contracts Office. All protocols involving USDA-regulated species as well as protocols for multiple survival surgery (on any species) are reviewed automatically at full committee meetings. The full committee also routinely reviews protocols involving potential for pain and distress. In such cases, the committee often invites investigators to a committee meeting to discuss their protocol. Alternatively, the committee invites the chair and/or director of the Vivarium to meet and interview individual investigators and then report to the committee.
Protocols are approved for a period of three years. During these three years, oversight is maintained by requiring principal investigators to submit an annual Progress Report.
Research Staff
All research staff (students, postdoctorals, graduate students) are required by the IACUC to attend the CCMS Animal User's Orientation Class prior to gaining access to the animal facilities. The species-specific training program is offered in two phases. All new animal users (new to the institution) are required to attend a two-hour lecture. The topies covered are general CCMS operating procedures, IACUC policies, state and federal regulations, sources on alternatives to animal use, basic biomethodology, etc. If there is no documented prior experience working with animals, animal users are also required to attend the elective three-hour wetlab training session. The wetlab comprises hands-on training in basic restraint, anesthetic administration/monitoring, and biomethods of the species. After completion of the general introductory course, each person must then participate in a specific facility orientation. This orientation covers the information unique to that facility with which the user must be familiar (e.g., barrier technique, automatic watering, etc.) The training coordinator documents the completion of the training requirement and forwards it to the IACUC and operations manager.
Investigators designing research studies involving the use of animals are responsible for informing personnel of the potential risks involved in a project. Recommended elements of the program also include training of research personnel in the care and use of experimental animals, personal hygiene, protective safety measures, safe use of hazardous materials, and preventive medicine. Programs for individual laboratories should be commensurate with the risks involved in the project. Investigators are strongly advised to consult with the Institutional Biosafety Office [link to http://www.mssm.edu/research/resources/institutional-biosafety-program] and with veterinary personnel of the Center for Comparative Medicine and Surgery for risk assessment and the development of an appropriate plan for a laboratory. The IACUC and safety officers may recommend specific actions or changes in the individual programs during the periodic inspections of laboratories.
Training Information
Access to the Facility
Entry to the facility is controlled by electronic access controls and surveillance systems. Approved research personnel should obtain access from the Business Office.