Office of Animal Care Compliance (OACC)

The OACC will ensure compliance with federal and state laws, regulations and guidelines. The OACC will promote the “three R’s” of replacement, refinement, and reduction when reviewing animal care and use protocols, and will provide services and resources that investigators need to accomplish their research goals. The OACC recognizes and emphasizes that animal research is a privilege not a right.

When do I need an animal care and use protocol?

All UNM affiliated personnel must have an approved animal care and use protocol to conduct research (including field observations) using live, vertebrate animals (amphibians, birds, fish, mammals, or reptiles) or vertebrate animal tissue (including blood). Breeding/holding, field, laboratory or tissue protocol forms are available to meet your needs. There are blanket museum protocols by division which cover research with specimens within museum collections. We use an electronic protocol submission system called TOPAZ. Power Point tutorials are available online which illustrate how to submit, amend, or renew protocols in TOPAZ. A Novell username and password must be obtained through the HSC Library in order to access the system.

Click here for help with Animal Use Protocol, Amendment, or Annual Renewal Submission via TOPAZ

Protocol Submission Checklist

• Do you have a current Novell Net ID? You will need one to log into TOPAZ. If not, click here.
• Have you completed your mandatory TOPAZ user training through OACC? If not, click here.
• Do you have your mandatory annual medical clearance to work with animals or their blood/tissues? If not, click here.
• Have you completed all appropriate animal care and use training? If not, click here.
• Do you need Institutional Biohazard Committee (IBC) approval for proposed BSL-2 or BSL-3 work in animals? If yes, click here.
• Do you need Safety and Risk Service (SRS) approval for proposed chemical or radiological hazardous work in animals? If yes, click here.
• Have you submitted a Conflict of Interest (COI) form for grants associated with this protocol submission? If not, click here.