The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee’s (IACUC) primary purpose is to ensure the humane care and use of animals in research and teaching in accordance with federal guidelines and policies.
The IACUC serves as a resource for investigators, staff, and administrators using live vertebrate animals in research and testing to ensure that animal use is conducted in accordance with the highest scientific, humane, and ethical principles. The IACUC must approve all activities that involve the use of live vertebrate animals prior to project initiation. Any use of animals at the University of Nebraska at Omaha without IACUC approval is a violation of University of Nebraska at Omaha policy and federal law.
The University of Nebraska at Omaha’s IACUC is committed to ensuring that the approval of all animal research takes into consideration the possible replacement of animals, the refinement of studies to alleviate or minimize potential pain and maximize the comfort and welfare of the animals, and the possible reduction in the number of animals necessary to obtain valid scientific data.
The IACUC is governed by applicable federal and state regulations, including those of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), Public Health Service (PHS), and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and is guided by the U.S. Government Principles for the Utilization and Care of Vertebrate Animals Used in Testing, Research and Training.