Application receipt
The protocol application is received by the IACUC office when submitted. While some institutions have “submit by” dates, that is not the case at UC Santa Cruz.
Review types
There are several types of review. Three types can occur with IACUC members:
- Designated member review (DMR)
- Full committee review (FCR), which is mandatory for class “E” studies
- Chair review
Review process
- Depending upon the protocol type, several pre-reviews are conducted by some or all of:
- The IACUC administrator
- The campus veterinarian
- EH&S
- The field safety office
- Some amendments can be reviewed and approved by the IACUC administrator.
- Check your email on a regular basis, as reviewers may have important information and questions regarding your application. Responding promptly to these emails ensures that your application can receive approval as quickly as possible.
- A protocol number is assigned.
Review timeline
The time it takes to receive IACUC feedback on your submission depends on:
- the completeness of the submission,
- the complexity of the research, and
- the volume of protocol applications already under review at the time your submission is received.
A general estimate for new protocol applications is about 5 weeks.
What happens after approval
Upon approval
- Upon approval, you will receive a confirmation email from the IACUC office with a copy of the approved protocol attached.
- After a protocol application is approved, any grant funds may be released.
- If needed, a letter of verification can be written to a funding agency. If you need a letter verifying UC Santa Cruz IACUC approval sent to a funding agency, email the following information to iacuc@ucsc.edu.
- PI/co-respondent names and phone numbers
- UC Santa Cruz IACUC office protocol code and protocol title
- Grant title, if different from the protocol title
- The UC Santa Cruz Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) Cayuse proposal # of the grant (available from your OSP analyst)
- If you would like to have the verification letter submitted via email, include the email address of the funding agency and a contact name.
- Per regulations, a protocol is approved for up to three years by the IACUC. A few months prior to the expiration date, the IACUC office will inform the PI and co-respondent of the need to submit a de novo protocol to renew the protocol.
Annual updates
Annual protocol updates (continuing review) are requested at years one and two to inform the IACUC of the progress with the objectives of the protocol and to do a self-check of additional personnel, a new risk assessment, new funding, renewed permits, and/or additional training.
Modifications
An amendment/modification form can be submitted at any time for changes regarding personnel, funding, tasks, objectives, etc. For more information see Modify/Amend a Protocol.
Adverse events
In case of an adverse event, inform the IACUC. Learn more about reporting adverse events.
Closing a protocol
If the protocol is completed prior to the three-year approval period, inform the IACUC office so that it can be closed and no additional paperwork will be required.
Inspections
Approximately every six months, the IACUC members perform semi-annual inspections. An announcement will be made to the PI to schedule the inspection of areas where animals are held or used. In the case of field/wildlife research, the information is requested in the annual update form.