Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)

Glossary

• Principal Investigator (PI)
  
  This title identifies the individual responsible for the conduct of the project. This responsibility includes the intellectual conduct of the project, fiscal accountability, administrative aspects, and the project's adherence to relevant policies and regulations.
• Co-Principal Investigator
  
  This designation refers to individuals who share the responsibility for the project with the Principal Investigator and therefore requires the same qualifications.
• Co-Investigator
  
  This title designates key personnel for a project, but without the oversight responsibility of a Principal Investigator. Individuals do not need to meet the qualifications of PI under this policy, but should be considered key to performance of the project.
• Project Director
  
  This title is a synonym for Principal Investigator on non-research sponsored programs or for "program-project" grants.
• AAALAC
  
  Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International. A private, nonprofit organization that promotes the humane treatment of animals in science through voluntary accreditation and assessment programs. See www.aaalac.org.
• APHIS/AC
  
  Animal Care. A program of APHIS. See http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/index.shtml.
• Animal
  
  Any living, non-human, vertebrate animal (mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, or fish), unless otherwise specified.
• Animal Welfare Assurance
  
  Key document in defining the relationship between the institution and the Public Health Service (PHS), which is signed by the Institutional Official, sets forth the responsibilities and procedures of the institution regarding the care and use of animals, and requires the Institutional Official to file an annual report with the PHS. An “Assurance” can remain in place up to four years and is renewable. See Cornell's AWA.
• APHIS
  
  Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. See http://www.aphis.usda.gov.
• AUHSP
  
  The AUHSP function is to identify and track persons having direct or indirect contact with animals used in research and teaching, for the purpose of evaluating the human health risks associated with that contact. See http://www.oria.cornell.edu/auhsp/
• Ag Guide
  
  Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Agriculture Research and Teaching (Federation of Animal Science Societies, 1999). See http://secure.fass.org/publications/order_form1.asp
• AV
  
  Attending Veterinarian. A veterinarian with training or experience in the care and management of the species attended, and who has direct or delegated authority for activities involving animals at Cornell University.
• AWAR
  
  Animal Welfare Act and Regulations. See http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/legislat/usdaleg1.htm
• CARE
  
  Cornell Center for Animal Resources and Education. CARE is responsible for the administration of the Animal Care and Use program in compliance with state and federal regulations and university policy. See www.research.cornell.edu/care.
• Faculty Member
  
  Member of the university faculty as defined by Board of Trustees Bylaws. See web.cornell.edu/counsel/trustees.html.
• Guide
  
  Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (National Research Council, 1996). See http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/labrats/.
• IACUC
  
  Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. The IACUC is responsible for oversight of the Animal Care and Use program and monitoring its compliance with applicable federal and state regulations and appropriate guidelines. See www.research.cornell.edu/iacuc.
• Investigator
  
  Individual having responsibility for oversight on a project involving the use of vertebrate animals. Typically, the term refers to Principal Investigator, Co-Principal Investigator, Co-Investigator, and Investigator.
• IO
  
  Institutional Official. The individual at Cornell who is authorized to commit legally on behalf of the university that the requirements of the Animal Welfare Act and the PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals are met.
• OLAW
  
  Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare, National Institutes of Health. OLAW has the responsibility for developing, monitoring, and exercising compliance with the Public Health Service Policy. See grants1.nih.gov/grants/olaw/olaw.htm.
• ORIA
  
  Office of Research Integrity and Assurance has responsibility for managing, supporting, monitoring, and assessing Cornell’s research compliance programs. See http://www.oria.cornell.edu.
• PHS
  
  Public Health Service. U.S. Public Health Service. Part of the Department of Health and Human Services, which includes the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Food and Drug Administration, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among others. See http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/olaw/references/phspol.htm.
• PHS Policy
  
  Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. This policy implements the Health Research Extension Act of 1985. See grants1.nih.gov/grants/olaw/references/phspol.htm.
• PI
  
  The principal investigator, in the context of this policy, is the individual with primary responsibility for a project that includes the design and implementation of research or teaching involving animals. See www.osp.cornell.edu/Policies/PI-policy.html.
• Protocol
  
  A description of the proposed procedures involving any use of animals as required on Cornell University’s protocol for the use of live vertebrate animals. See esirius.research.cornell.edu/esirius/.
• USDA
  
  United States Department of Agriculture. See www.aphis.usda.gov/ac/.
• USDA-covered Species
  
  USDA regulations pertain to all vertebrates except the following:

  • Birds bred for use in research
  • Rats of the genus Rattus bred for use in research
  • Mice of the genus Mus bred for use in research
  • Horses not used for research purposes

  The regulations also exclude other farm animals, such as, but not limited to the following:

  • Livestock or poultry used or intended for use as food or fiber
  • Livestock or poultry used or intended for use for improving animal nutrition, breeding management, or production efficiency, or for improving the quality of food or fiber

  Where USDA regulations refer to dogs, the term includes those used for hunting, security, or breeding purposes.