The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) reviews all projects involving animals to ensure that they are justified by their benefits and minimize any animal pain or suffering that might occur. This includes research, teaching and display of animals.
The IACUC regularly inspects all projects using animals, both field and lab, as well as locations where animals are used. This includes animal facilities, labs, off-site locations, and other institutions with UNM approved protocols.
There are two Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUC) serving the UNM campus. One is focused on the protocols of the HSC campus with members demonstrating expertise in the areas of research specific to this campus. The other IACUC serves the Main campus and is comprised of members that are representative of that campus. A single IACUC Chair presides over both campuses.
The IACUC meets once a month throughout the year for each campus to review animal research and related issues. The HSC IACUC meets on the first Thursday of each month, and the MC IACUC (main campus) meets on the third Thursday of each month. All new protocols, amendments, and protocol renewals must be received by the OACC two weeks prior to the meeting date to make it onto the agenda for that month's meeting.
The following kinds of activities involving animals must be reviewed by the IACUC before they may be conducted:
